Bill · S. 5422· Senate(119-S-5422)
Arkansas Delta National Heritage Area Act
- Introduced
- 9/17/2026
- Last activity
- 9/17/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- Sponsored by
- Tom Cotton
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill is known as the Arkansas Delta National Heritage Area Act. It amends a previous conservation law to officially designate the Arkansas Delta National Heritage Area in the State of Arkansas. The designated area covers seventeen specific counties in Arkansas. Arkansas State University Heritage Sites is named as the local coordinating entity for this heritage area. The local group must submit a proposed management plan to the Secretary of the Interior within 3 years. Finally, the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to provide assistance for this area ends 15 years after the bill is enacted.
Yes· 3 of 10
Does this invest in rural communities?+4
The act specifically invests in and promotes seventeen rural counties in the Arkansas Delta region.
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?+4
Residents of the seventeen designated rural counties in the Arkansas Delta will benefit from boosted tourism, cultural investment, and regional development.
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?+3
National Heritage Area designation encourages the preservation of natural, historical, and environmental resources in the region.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Local Heritage Designation: Section 2 establishes the Arkansas Delta National Heritage Area as a component of the National Heritage Area System, covering Clay, Greene, Craighead, Poinsett, Mississippi, Cross, Crittenden, St. Francis, Lee, Phillips, Monroe, Arkansas, Lincoln, Jefferson, Desha, Drew, and Chicot Counties in Arkansas. This is positive because it officially recognizes the region.
-
Local Leadership: Section 2 designates Arkansas State University Heritage Sites as the local coordinating entity for the newly established National Heritage Area. This gives a specific local group the responsibility to coordinate the area.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Expiration of Assistance: Section 2 states that the authority of the Secretary of the Interior to provide assistance for the Arkansas Delta National Heritage Area terminates on the date that is 15 years after the date of enactment of the Act. This could be viewed as a negative since federal assistance has a strict expiration date.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Rural Development+4Improves Environmental Protections+3Improves Public Land Management+3
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Small Business Support+3Improves Economic Growth+2Increases Job Creation+2
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Rural Residents+4
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+2Increase States Rights+2
- Education And Technology
- Increases Public School Funding+2
- 9/17/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- Introduced in Senate