Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has announced a $150,000 emergency financial assistance package for the City of Hoxie, alongside the approval of $25 million in general obligation bonds to improve water and wastewater infrastructure across Arkansas. The Arkansas Natural Resources Commission approved this funding and authorized the issuance and sale of the bonds during its meeting on June 4, 2025.
The $25 million in State of Arkansas Water, Waste Disposal, and Pollution Abatement Facilities General Obligation Bonds will address critical water infrastructure needs statewide. The current bond authority is expected to be exhausted by 2027. To meet ongoing infrastructure demands, Governor Sanders signed Act 578 of 2025. This act places a measure on the 2026 ballot to create new bond authority for the state, potentially authorizing $500 million for water and wastewater funding without increasing general revenue.
The bond issuance comes after recent strong credit ratings for Arkansas from S&P Global Ratings and Moody’s. S&P upgraded Arkansas’s general obligation bonds to AA+, marking the highest rating since 1966, which could lower borrowing costs for infrastructure projects.
The $150,000 loan from the Water, Sewer, and Solid Waste Fund will aid Hoxie in completing emergency sewer main repairs. Hoxie had declared an emergency in May 2025 and initially received a $100,000 emergency loan. The additional $50,000 will help finalize the project serving 777 residents.
“Governor Sanders continues to lead on a topic of critical importance,” said Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward. “Not only is she taking consistent action to address current needs, but she is also ensuring the state is positioned to address needs well into the future.”
Chris Colclasure, Director of the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Division said: “Ensuring the stability of our water and wastewater systems is vital to the daily lives of Arkansans. Our financing tools are in place to help communities across the state maintain access to safe and consistent services.”
Under Governor Sanders’ leadership, over $2.5 billion has been administered for water development projects across all 75 counties using state and federal funds.
Information from this article can be found here.
