Attorney General Tim Griffin has announced $8.4 million in funding for 21 waterway improvement and restoration projects across Arkansas. The funds come from a recent settlement with Monsanto over claims related to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) contamination.
The settlement restricts the funds to projects that improve water quality, combat erosion, and restore aquatic habitats. Griffin, in a statement issued Friday, said the projects aim to leave a long-term positive impact on Arkansas's natural waterways.
Of the total funding, $6.7 million will be administered by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission for several major initiatives. Another $1.7 million will go toward additional waterway conservation efforts throughout the state.
The October 2 settlement resolved claims against Monsanto Company, along with its affiliated entities Solutia Inc. and Pharmacia LLC. The lawsuit alleged that PCBs manufactured by Monsanto caused widespread environmental contamination over the years.
“When I announced our settlement with Monsanto last month, I made clear that these funds would be used to further water quality in Arkansas,” Griffin said on Friday. “Today, we are putting those dollars to work by investing in projects that will make a meaningful difference in waterways across our state.”
Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders also praised the initiative. “Water grows the crops in our fields, supports jobs in our communities, and brings people from across the world to experience the Natural State. Protecting it is an investment in everything that makes Arkansas a great place to live, work, and raise a family,” Sanders said. “I’m grateful to Attorney General Griffin for putting these dollars to work restoring our waterways and helping ensure the water that has shaped Arkansas’ success will sustain it for generations to come.”
This funding represents a significant step in ensuring Arkansas’s waterways remain vital and healthy for future generations.