Between the Lines Blog
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…
2025 Arkansas Insurance Legislation Summary: Health
This is the third 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 provides for…
Arkansas Environmental, Energy, and Water Law Blog
Endangered Species Act/Ozark Shiner: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Publishes Decision Not to List as Endangered/Threatened
September 8, 2025
by Walter G. Wright, Jr.
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (“Service”) published a September 4th “Notification of Findings” in the Federal Register identifying five species it has determined are not warranted for listing as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act (“ESA”). See 90 Fed. Reg. 42725…
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration Grant Program/Pipeline Safety: Arkansas Awarded $729,929
September 8, 2025
by Walter G. Wright, Jr.
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (“PHMSA”) issued a news release announcing $86 million in grants to: …enhance states’ pipeline safety programs. PHMSA states that the grants will help its “state partners” inspect more than 85 percent of the nation’s 3.3-million-mile…
Pretreatment Enforcement/Clean Water Act: Mississippi Commission on Environmental Quality and Yazoo City Nitrous Oxide Manufacturing Facility Enter into Agreed Order
September 8, 2025
by Walter G. Wright, Jr.
The Mississippi Commission of Environmental Quality (“MCEQ”) and Nitrous Oxide Corporation (“NOC”) entered into an August 5th Agreed Order (“AO”) addressing alleged violations of the Mississippi Administrative Code concerning discharges into a POTW. See Agreed Order No. 7541 25. The AO provides…
NPDES Program/Clean Water Act: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Withdraws Objection to Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment - Division of Environmental Quality Issuance of Northwest Arkansas Permit
September 5, 2025
by Walter G. Wright, Jr.
The Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment - Division of Environmental Quality (“DEQ”) had filed a complaint in 2022 for declaratory and injunctive relief (“Complaint”) in the United States District Court (Eastern District – Arkansas) and a Petition for Review (“Petition”) in the United…
Southern Hognose Snake/Endangered Species Act: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Federal Register Notice Proposing Listing
September 5, 2025
by Walter G. Wright, Jr.
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (“Service”) published a proposed rule in the August 29th Federal Register addressing a petition requesting the listing of the Southern Hognose Snake. See 90 Fed. Reg. 42151. The Service grants the petition and proposes to list the Southern Hognose Snake…