Between the Lines Blog
The Future of FOIA is Here: New Requirements under Acts 505 and 922 of 2025
The Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) has long been a cornerstone of transparency, ensuring that the public has access to government records and meetings. Acts 505 and 922 of 2025, which took effect on August 5, 2025, significantly amend FOIA to modernize public meeting rules, clarify…
National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Summer 2025 Meeting Summary
The Mitchell Williams Insurance Regulatory team of lawyers recently attended the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Summer 2025 National Meeting which was held in Minneapolis, MN. We have prepared a summary of the open sessions conducted over the course of the meeting…
What Agricultural Landowners Need to Know Now About Leases to Minimize Future Risk
June 20, 2025
by John P. Talbot
According to the USDA – Economic Research Service, there are approximately 911 million acres of farmland in the lower 48 states, with roughly 60% of this farmland owner-operated and 40% of it leased. For tillable cropland acres specifically, the percentage of rented ground is higher, approximately…
2025 Arkansas Insurance Legislation Summary: Life
This is the fourth and final article in a series of summaries of Insurance legislation from the 95th Arkansas General Assembly. The 95th Arkansas General Assembly convened on January 13, 2025, and entered into an extended recess on April 16, 2025. The resolution authorizing the extended recess…
State Air Trends & Successes: Association of Air Pollution Control Agencies Issues 2025 Report
May 28, 2025
The Association of Air Pollution Control Agencies ("AAPCA") issued the 2025 edition of its annual report titled: State Air Trends & Successes ("Report"). AAPCA describes itself as a: ...National Small Land, non-profit consensus-driven organization focused on assisting state and local air…
Arkansas Environmental, Energy, and Water Law Blog
Citizen Suit Stormwater Enforcement/Clean Water Act: Sound Rivers, Inc. and North Carolina Project Developer Enter into Consent Decree Addressing Alleged Violations
Sound Rivers, Inc. (“SRI”) and Clayton Properties Group, Inc. d/b/a Mungo Homes (“Clayton”) entered into a September 18th Consent Decree (“CD”) in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina addressing alleged violations of a Clean Water Act National Pollutant…
Air Enforcement: Tennessee Air Pollution Control Board Proposed Order Addressing Jasper Specialty Chemical Facility
The Tennessee Air Pollution Control Board issued a Technical Secretary’s Order and Assessment of Civil Penalty (“Order”) to Jatko, LLC (“Jatko”) addressing an alleged violation of an Air Permit. See Case No. APC25-0094. Jatko is stated to operate a facility in Jasper, Tennessee. A True Minor Source…
Pretreatment Enforcement/Clean Water Act: Mississippi Commission on Environmental Quality and Olive Branch Building Materials Manufacturer Enter into Agreed Order
The Mississippi Commission on Environmental Quality (“MCEQ”) and AFCO Industries, LLC (“AFCO”) entered into an August 26th Agreed Order (“AO”) addressing an alleged violation of 11 Miss. Admin Code Pt. 6, R.1.1.1.B(2)(a). See Order No. 7551 25. AFCO is stated to operate a building materials…
Assessment of PFAS Levels in Washington State Biosolids: Washington Department of Ecology Study Released
The Washington Department of Ecology (“WDE”) released a September 2025 document titled: Assessment of PFAS Levels in Washington State Biosolids (“Assessment”). See Publication 25-07-057. The Assessment documents the results of a study that WDE undertook in 2024 to assess PFAS concentrations in…
Storage Tank Enforcement: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Federal Reserve Bank of New York Enter into Expedited Settlement Agreement
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) and The Federal Reserve Bank of New York (“Federal Reserve”) entered into a September 22nd Expedited Settlement Agreement (“ESA”) addressing alleged violations of the federal Underground Storage Tank (“UST”) regulations. See Docket No…