Section 15-23-1002 - Buffalo River Conservation Committee(a) The Buffalo River Conservation Committee is created to establish measurable objectives and lead partnership projects to benefit water quality and resource management in the Buffalo River Watershed.(b) The committee members shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Governor.(c) The committee shall be composed of the:(1) Secretary of the Department of Energy and Environment or his or her designee;(2) Secretary of the Department of Agriculture or his or her designee;(3) Secretary of the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism or his or her designee;(4) Secretary of the Department of Health or his or her designee;(5) County judge of Newton County; and(6) County judge of Searcy County.(d) The chair of the committee shall be designated by the Governor.(e) The committee shall:(1) Work in cooperation with each member to identify opportunities to leverage each member's respective department's unique expertise, relationships, focus areas, and funding mechanisms in support of the vitality of the Buffalo River Watershed;(2) Conduct an annual review of the Buffalo River Watershed Management Plan and include recommendations for updates of the plan and a report on successes during the year, as identified by the committee, to be submitted to the Governor;(3)(A) Establish subcommittees to lead various aspects of implementing the Buffalo River Watershed Management Plan.(B) The subcommittees shall identify opportunities for training, relationship building, and specific projects, all of which shall be in service to preserving and enhancing water quality within the Buffalo River Watershed;(4) Further develop the concepts from the Buffalo River Watershed Management Plan to incorporate additional tools and strategies as necessary;(5) Consciously consider and act on the most recent pertinent available data related to water quality concerns and opportunities in the Buffalo River Watershed;(6) Create an emphasis on action items that engage local stakeholders and landowners that have both a positive impact on water quality and are beneficial for landowners within the Buffalo River Watershed; and(7) Consider the continued sampling and analysis of water quality data throughout the Buffalo River Watershed as vital for informing the work of the committee and its member agencies and organizations.(f) In establishing subcommittees under subdivision (e)(3) of this section, the committee shall engage and include the following key stakeholders:(2) Conservation organizations;(3) Environmental and technical experts;(4) Representatives of the tourism industry;(5) Local, county, and municipal officials; andAmended by Act 2021, No. 785,§ 1, eff. 7/28/2021.