The procedure that the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission of the Department of Arkansas Heritage shall follow to submit a river to the General Assembly for designation as a component into the Arkansas Natural and Scenic Rivers System is as follows:
(1) The commission shall decide, based upon the classification and evaluation system, the priority of rivers to be considered for inclusion in the system;
(2) (A) Having selected a river for potential designation, the commission, with the advice of local county governments through which the river flows, shall establish an advisory committee.
(B) This committee shall:
(i) (a) Consist of three (3) members of the commission appointed by the chair to represent the state at large and five (5) members who are residents of the river area and appointed by the local county quorum court.
(b) If the river flows through more than one (1) county, four (4) members shall be appointed by each county quorum court.
(c) At least three (3) of the local residents of the four (4) appointed from each county shall be riparian landowners;
(ii) Assist and advise the commission concerning the planning for the management and protection of the river;
(iii) Serve at the call of the commission or on call of a majority of the members of the committee; and
(iv) Elect a chair from among its members;
(3) (A) A public hearing shall be held after the advisory committee has been appointed and a management plan has been drawn up.
(B) More public hearings may be held as needed;
(4) (A) The commission shall submit to the General Assembly a report showing the proposed area and classification, the characteristics which qualify the river for inclusion into the system, the general ownership and land use in the area, and the management plan approved by the commission.
(B) This report shall be made available to other concerned agencies for comment; and
(5) The management plan shall not be effective until enacted into law by the General Assembly.
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