The Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation (“AFB”) announced in a May 24th news release that Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (“ADEQ”) Senior Operations Manager (Office of Water Quality) John Bailey has joined the organization’s staff.
Mr. Bailey will serve as AFB’s Director of Environmental Regulatory Affairs.
Mr. Bailey was employed for approximately twelve years at ADEQ focusing for most of that period on water quality/permitting issues. He was considered one of the agency’s key Clean Water Act National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permitting experts.
Mr. Bailey served as Water Permits Branch Manager in the former Water Division and subsequently in the newly organized Office of Water Quality. However, he did serve as an air permit engineer at ADEQ during his first few years at the agency.
Besides his expertise and experience, I believe Mr. Bailey was valued by both the regulated community and his agency colleagues for his willingness to seek workable solutions to often complex issues.
AFB states that Mr. Bailey’s role at the organization will include helping:
… evaluate agriculture’s impact on the environment and examine issues such as water and watershed management, air and water quality measurement, regulatory compliance and new technologies and farming practices.
Mr. Warren Carter, Executive Vice President for AFB is quoted as stating:
… Farm Bureau’s focus is to ensure sound science drives the production practices of our farmers and ranchers, and ensuring that regulatory controls being applied to farmers and ranchers employ the same sound science.
… John has a deep understanding of environmental issues, the legal and regulatory environment, and modern farming practices and we believe his expertise will be critical to our ongoing work on behalf of Arkansas farmers and ranchers.
Mr. Bailey graduated from the University of Arkansas with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and is a registered Professional Engineer.
Click here to download a copy of the AFB News Release.
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