Thursday afternoon the Arkansas Development Finance Authority awarded $10,911,780  in federal low-income housing tax credits (LIHTC), another $161,091 in state tax credits, $3,131,000 in federal HOME program funds, $1,444,783 in Rural Development Preservation Revolving Loan Funds,  $450,000 in mortgage settlement funds, and $200,000 in Finance Adjustment Factor (FAF) funds to help in the construction or renovation of  affordable rental developments located throughout Arkansas

Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge today announced that she has joined Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi in a 17-State coalition to challenge the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for illegally invalidating the individual air quality protection plans in those States. In June, the EPA issued a final rule requiring 35 States, including Arkansas, to revise their individual State Implementation Plans (SIP) governing excess emissions during startup, shutdown or malfunction

Congressman Bruce Westerman (R-Hot Springs) issued the following statement in response to reports Entergy Arkansas has proposed a possible shutdown of coal operations at the White Bluff Electric Station in Jefferson County by 2028

U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) spoke on the Senate floor yesterday to call up and pass S.1707, legislation to rename the Helena-West Helena Federal building in honor of Judge Jacob Trieber, the nation’s first Jewish Federal Judge, and a long-time resident and community leader of Phillips County. The Senate unanimously approved the bill.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently awarded the city of Cabot, Ark. $485,000 to install new wastewater treatment equipment. The upgrades will include 10,000 feet of wastewater piping that will help address sanitary sewer overflows

For three years the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission has been working on a new water plan. At public hearings and during meetings with local business and civic leaders, the commission has gathered ideas on how to revise the current water plan, which was completed in 1990.

Congressman Bruce Westerman (R-Hot Springs) issued the following statement Monday (Aug. 3) in response to President Barack Obama’s proposal to reduce emissions at American power plants by more than 30 percent

Federal assistance may be available to help Arkansas communities rebuild infrastructure to higher, more disaster-resistant standards and state officials are encouraging local governments to take advantage of that funding

The board of directors of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) elected Emily Rucker of Alma, to be a Life Director at the Association’s 2015 Spring Board of Directors’ Meeting in Washington, DC., on June 6.

There are only a few days left to meet with FEMA specialsts at select home building supply stores and learn how to lessen the impact of disaster-related property damage. The experts are available at the stores to talk to any Arkansas resident interested in building or remodeling their property to better withstand heavy rain, wind, and flooding

FEMA offers a wide range of free resources for Arkansas homeowners who are either rebuilding after the spring storms or preparing for the next time disaster strikes. FEMA maintains an extensive online library, including bilingual and multimedia resources, which describe the measures contractors or do-it-yourselfers can take to reduce risks to property.

Hours at the disaster recovery centers in Howard and Jefferson counties will change beginning Monday, July 20. The centers provide help to those whose homes or businesses were affected by the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding during the period of May 7 to June 15, 2015.

Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) – along with Congressmen Rick Crawford (AR-1), French Hill (AR-2), and Bruce Westerman (AR-4) – yesterday introduced H.R. 3062, a bill to grant a state the right to approve or reject an electric transmission project prior to the federal government’s execution of newfound authority to take private property

Weekend hours at the disaster recovery centers in Howard and Jefferson counties will change beginning Saturday, July 18. The centers provide help to those whose homes or businesses were affected by the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding during the period of May 7 to June 15, 2015.<

Teams of specialists from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will offer tips and techniques to lessen the impact of disaster-related property damage at building supply stores in four Arkansas locations beginning Monday, July 13, 2015