In the News

Hill, Andrews pitch Flatside Wilderness expansion to U.S. House subcommittee

by Alex Thomas
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
June 27, 2024

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Ark., and an Arkansas recreation leader made their case Thursday to a House of Representatives subcommittee for expanding the Flatside Wilderness Area, hoping to add more than 2,200 acres to the protected wilderness.

Hill and Katherine Andrews, director of outdoor recreation for the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, appeared before members of the House Natural Resources Committee to discuss the Flatside Wilderness Additions Act, a proposed second and final move in recent years for expanding the space and granting related lands the highest level of federal protection against human activity.

Flatside Wilderness currently encompasses 9,507 acres, including a portion of the Ouachita National Recreation Trail cutting through Saline and Perry counties, as well as Flatside Pinnacle. The space was designated as part of the National Wilderness Preservation System in October 1984, limiting development and construction in the eastern part of the Ouachita National Forest in Central Arkansas to protect outdoor recreation opportunities and local ecosystems.

Arkansas' senators four decades ago -- Democrats Dale Bumpers and David Pryor -- and one of Hill's predecessors, Republican Rep. Ed Bethune, sponsored the original legislation in their respective chambers. During this time, Hill was a congressional staff member under Texas Sen. John Tower, who co-sponsored the bill.

Hill, of Little Rock, and Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., championed legislation during the 2018 congressional session expanding Flatside Wilderness by 640 acres. Then-President Donald Trump signed the related measure into law in January 2019.

The latest measure, which Hill introduced last June, would designate an additional 2,215 acres in the Ouachita National Forest as part of this space. The measure also calls for redesignating Flatside Wilderness as Flatside-Bethune Wilderness.

"There's something really special about hiking, camping and hunting deep in the backcountry of our state that feels like it's gone untouched by human hands," Hill told colleagues. "Finishing the expansion of the wilderness area at Flatside will bring more opportunities for both Arkansans and the many visitors to our state to explore more of our natural qualities."

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission and the Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism back the legislation. The Pew Charitable Trusts, the Southern Environmental Law Center and the Wilderness Society -- organizations engaged in environmental protection endeavors -- have voiced support for Hill's proposal.

During Thursday's hearing, Andrews framed the issue in part as an economic matter.

"There are numerous benefits associated with areas rich in outdoor recreation such as business attraction, workforce retention, public health and wellness, getting kids outside and off screens, and the conservation and preservation of our natural assets," she said. "In addition, a robust outdoor recreation industry is not a luxury; it's essential and highly impactful."

Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., is chairman of the full House Natural Resources Committee. Hill recognized the Hot Springs congressman for his assistance in introducing the bill.

It is not clear how the House will consider the legislation if the House Natural Resources Committee gives its approval. Hill suggested to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that the bill may be presented on the floor or included in a larger legislative product.

"I do believe we have consensus in the House now to move Flatside," he said. "I'm grateful for that and look forward to it passing the House and being sent to the Senate."

Another option may be the farm bill, Congress' sweeping legislative package covering nutrition, rural development and agriculture programs. Senate Democrats included Hill's measure in their overview as part of more than 100 other bills attached to the farm bill's 12 titles.

Boozman, of Rogers, is the top Republican on the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee. Congress faces a Sept. 30 deadline for passing a new legislative package or extending the current statute, but Boozman has stated federal lawmakers need to act by year's end to minimize interruptions to programs.

When asked following Thursday's hearing about the possibility of inserting his measure into the next farm bill, Hill did not discount the suggestion.

"I'm about results," he said. "Sen. Boozman and I have collaborated on Flatside for the past eight years routinely, and that collaboration has produced some successes in the past, and we hope it produces this final addition to Flatside this year."