CAVE SPRINGS -- Earthea Nance on Wednesday stood at an iron fence watching clear water from an Ozark spring surge from a rocky hillside.
The sound of the powerful springs hushed Nance's voice, but she said she understood the privilege and opportunity of protecting a natural wonder.
Nance is the regional administrator of the federal Environmental Protection Agency. She serves the agency's Region 6, which includes Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. She is based in Dallas.
Leif Kindberg, executive director of the Illinois River Watershed Partnership, brought Nance to the cave and springs of Cave Springs as part of a tour of Northwest Arkansas to understand the efforts regional leaders are taking to improve water quality in the Illinois River watershed.
He noted the springs have an average release of 1 million gallons a day.
U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., led Nance on a two-day tour of his district to meet community leaders.
"We want her to understand who we are, what we are, what we're about and how we work together," Womack said.
Womack and Nance visited with Walmart officials about the company's efforts in sustainability; the Beaver Water District, which provides drinking water to much of the Northwest Arkansas region; the Fisher Ford Kayak Park in Siloam Springs; and the University of Arkansas' sustainability program.
Ryan Benefield of the state Department of Natural Resources, Kindberg and Sandi Formica with the Washington County Conservation Resource Center in Fayetteville gave presentations of their organizations' efforts.
"Arkansas is on the move," Nance said. "They are balancing development with conservation for the Illinois River Watershed and Beaver Lake."
She noted many of Northwest Arkansas' efforts to improve water quality align with EPA policy directives for climate change, water quality and diversity.
Nance and her staff, citing ongoing litigation, declined comment about the current lawsuit the state of Arkansas has against the EPA over permit limits of two area wastewater treatment plants.
The Arkansas Division of Environmental Quality filed a lawsuit April 21 against the EPA, claiming an infringement on its authority. The suit was filed with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas in Little Rock. The EPA filed its objections well after a deadline for comment, the lawsuit says. The federal agency contends those permits were drafts.
The Arkansas agency in December issued permits to expand wastewater treatment facilities to the Northwest Arkansas Conservation Authority and Springdale Water Utilities. The EPA wanted lower limits for phosphorus levels in treated water released into the Illinois River watershed than the state granted.
Steve Clark, president and chief executive officer of the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, was serving as the state attorney general in 1980 when the state of Oklahoma filed a lawsuit against Arkansas over phosphorus in the Illinois River. The river serves as a water source for Oklahoma residents and holds a scenic river designation in that state.
Clark said Wednesday he was proud of how the area's wastewater treatment plants have reduced their phosphorus releases.
Kindberg said Nance's visit validated the importance of the work area organizations are doing -- particularly with stormwater. He said education of the public about the risks to the watershed is an important part of the river partnership's mission.
The organization is partly funded by a 319(h) grant from the EPA. A grant under the Clean Water Act helps to implement their approved nonpoint source management programs.