Financial Assistance, 15 CAR pt. 2 & REPEALS: Rules Governing Loans from the Safe Drinking Water Fund, 15 CAR pt. 25; Rules Governing the Arkansas Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund Program, 15 CAR pt. 26 SUBJECT: Financial Assistance, 15 CAR pt. 2 & REPEALS: Rules Governing Loans from the Safe Drinking Water Fund, 15 CAR pt. 25; Rules Governing the Arkansas Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund Program, 15 CAR pt. 26

Act 812 created the Water and Sewer Treatment Facilities Grant Program Fund and the Water and Sewer Treatment Facilities Grant Program, codified at Arkansas Code §§ 19-5-1288 and 25- 43-203, respectively, to be administered by the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission. Amendments to the Financial Assistance rules, 15 CAR pt. 2, are made to add the Water and Sewer Treatment Facilities Grant Program, remove discontinued financial assistance programs, adjust for inflation, and streamline the financial assistance application process. Act 1017, Section 4, allocated a maximum of twenty-five million dollars ($25,000,000) of surplus funds annually to the Water and Sewer Treatment Facilities Grant Program Fund in state fiscal years 2026, 2027, and 2028. In addition, the rule incorporates 15 CAR pt. 25, Drinking Water State Revolving Fund rules, and 15 CAR pt. 26, Clean Water State Revolving Fund rules, to create a single, streamlined financial assistance rule. 15 CAR parts 25 and 26 are being repealed in accord with Executive Order 23-02.

No public hearing was held on this rule. The period expired on May 5, 2026. Due to its length, the public comment summary can be found on the “docs” tab for this meeting. Isaac Linam, an attorney with the Bureau of Legislative Research, asked the following questions and received the following responses: QUESTION 1: Concerning 15 CAR § 2-305, there is no conjunction between list item (1) and (2), which makes it unclear whether it is the commission’s intent to require both items (1) and (2) in the application or only one of items (1) and (2). Can you clarify? RESPONSE: Yes, there should be a conjunction between 15 CAR § 2-305(a)(1)(B) and (A). At the end of (a)(1)(B), we replaced “.” with “; and”. QUESTION 2: Concerning 15 CAR § 2-401(1), the commission struck the word “must”, resulting in the new language reading “The applicant and proposed project comply with all applicable”. Is it intentional for the rule 2 to read this way? RESPONSE: 15 CAR § 2-401(1) should read “The applicant and proposed project must comply...”. QUESTION 3: Concerning 15 CAR § 2-401(3)(B)(iii), the rule cites to “15 CAR § 2-410(b)(1)”. However, that citation does not exist. Can you clarify? RESPONSE: In 15 CAR

• Rule packet: E.2.a DOA ANRC Financial Assistance Rules and REPEALS and Acts 812 and 1017
• Public comments: E.2.a.PC DOA ANRC PC Summary Financial Assistance Rules and Acts 812 and 1017
• ALC summary agenda Jun 18, 2026
• ALC agenda Jun 18, 2026
• ALC meeting video Jun 18, 2026