Crossett Community Information Page

This page is designed to be a source for the Crossett Community with up-to-date information regarding activities related to Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment, Division of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) regulatory authority. It also includes information required by the Informal Resolution Agreement (Agreement) between the U.S. Environment Protection Agency (EPA) and the DEQ and its specific commitments.

On January 8, 2021, the EPA’s External Civil Rights Compliance Office (ECRCO) and DEQ entered into the Agreement to resolved EPA Complaint NO.27R-16-R6. In this Agreement, DEQ agreed to undertake and implement various commitments in furtherance of its commitment to carry out its responsibilities in a nondiscriminatory manner, in accordance with the requirements of Title VI and other federal nondiscrimination laws enforced by the EPA and 40 C.F.R. Parts 5 and 7.

Resources and other important information as required by the commitments can be found on the left sidebar. Below are links to the latest information from DEQ regarding the Crossett Community. This information will be updated periodically and as steps are taken to satisfy each commitment outlined in the Agreement.

Upcoming Events

  • Events related to the Crossett community and DEQ's regulatory authority
    • SAVE THE DATE: Stakeholder meeting specific to water quality standards on Coffee Creek in Crossett, Arkansas. Tuesday March 29th at 6:00 pm at the Crossett Public Library, 1700 South Main St, Crossett, AR 71635.
  • Commitment Events
  • Triennial Review Stakeholder Work Group
    • SAVE THE DATE: Meeting May 19, 2022, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. with a break for lunch. E&E Headquarters, 5301 Northshore Drive, North Little Rock, AR 72118
    • For more information about Triennial Review, click here.
  • Compliance Review Reports
    • A compliance review will evaluate the wastewater sampling and analysis performed by Georgia-Pacific Crossett under the requirements of its NPDES permit. DEQ staff involved in conducting compliance reviews includes Enforcement Analyst, Enforcement Coordinator, Permit Engineer, and a Compliance Inspector or Inspector Supervisor.
    • More information to come
  • Sampling Results
    • The lab results from split samples collected during four (4) monthly sampling events will be posted here.
    • More information to come
  • Resources for the Crossett Community
    • DEQ is committed to transparency and meaningful community involvement. DEQ is creating online tutorials on how to access permitting information and updating its Public Participation Plan, LEP Plan, and Nondiscrimination Program. DEQ Facility and Permit Summary Permit Data System (PDS) provides information about DEQ-issued permits and can be searched by county or by city.
    • Stakeholder Meeting 3.29.2022 Presentations
    • Map of Coffee Creek & Effluent Channel
    • Georgia Pacific’s Coffee Creek Timeline
  • Task Force Meetings
    • More information to come

LATEST INFORMATION:

July 2022 – GP’s SEP Completion Report

  • Final Semi-Annual Progress Report and SEP Completion Report

    • March 2022 – Triennial Stakeholder Review Stakeholder work group meetings scheduled to begin.

    January 2022 – DEQ submitted Rule 2 to the Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission for the current water quality standards triennial revisions.

    August 2021 – DEQ responded to EPA’s comments on Mossy Lake and Coffee Creek.

    June 2021 – Report discussing the specific commitments in the IRA was completed and sent to the EPA.

    May 2021 – EPA grants GP’s SEP extension request.

  • EPA’s response to Extension Request

    • March 2021 – GP’s SEP Extension Request received.

  • GP’s Extension Request

    • January 8, 2021 – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), External Civil Rights Compliance Office (ECRCO) and the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment, Division of Environmental Quality enter into an Informal Resolution Agreement regarding the Crossett Community.