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The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality Office of Air Quality (“OAQ”) issued a report titled:

State of the Air – 2018 (“Report”)

The Report provides focuses on:

• Air Quality in Arkansas
• OAQ Program Activities/Achievements During Fiscal Year 2018

Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality OAQ Associate Director Stuart Spencer notes by way of achievements:

• Reduction of time necessary for OAQ to issue timely permits
• With the corollary referenced benefits as:
  • Protection of the public from pollution-related health risks
  • Protection of the environment from degradation
  • Protection of the air permittee from uncertainty
  • Reduction of permit challenges and appeals
• Assertion of the agency’s “proper role” with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) in a cooperative federal relationship
• EPA approval of a number of Arkansas submissions/plans

The Report is organized by OAQ program or branch. As a result, it provides an overview of the OAQ including personnel and their responsibilities. The Report then addresses the various individual components of the OAQ which include:

• Permits Branch
• Compliance Branch
• Asbestos Program
• Enforcement
• Policy and Planning Branch

A number of statistics are provided, along with appendices which include:

• National Ambient Air Quality Standards
• Arkansas Air Quality Monitoring
• Emissions Inventory Trends
• 2018 Ozone Season Summary
• Office of Air Quality Federal Fiscal Year 2018 Lean Events

Metrics are provided where appropriate for activities such as permitting, inspections, complaints, licenses and certifications, etc.

A copy of the Report can be found here.