Water Plan Meetings Notice to Center Members
Center Members & Friends:
As you know, we place great importance on the responsible protection and management of Georgia's water resources. At our current rates of
growth, combined with rampant real estate speculation, the disturbance of land and other resources is imposing unprecedented burdens on
the quality of coastal waters while profligate demand for increasing supplies threatens vital ecosystem functions.
The one-two punch of bad land management, causing non-point source pollution, and unchecked water demand have brought water management to
a near crisis. We hope that this crisis will be averted by Georgia's adoption and implementation of an effective statewide water resources
management plan, now being developed by DNR's Environmental Protection Division (EPD).
In accordance with the state legislation adopted several years ago, this plan is being prepared for completion by the end of this year under
the guidance of a state water council. EPD and the council are holding another series of public meetings on this water management plan, and
we strongyly urge you to attend. See the schedule posted below for date, time, and location.
At these meetings, EPD will provide a summary of the policy framework they've developed with the advice of river basin advisory committees,
and then open the floor for public comment. The framework and comments will primarily fall into several main categories:
Water supply - minimizing withdrawals & maximizing returns to the same source it was taken from - includes aggressive water conservation
steps.
- Maintaining aquatic system functions - with sufficient in-stream flow under all weather conditions, including drought.
- Maintaining or improving water quality - by reducing point and non-point source pollution and, as feasible, restoring natural hydrological
conditions.
- Adopting a fair and accountable administrative mechanism - for planning, monitoring, assessing, and regulating the use and condition of
water resources. (Proposed to be done through stakeholder advisory groups formed on the basis of river basins/watersheds and aquifer using areas.)
We urge you to prepare comments and questions and to attend one or more of the water council meetings being held around the state. If you would
like assistance
in preparing your remarks, please contact us as soon as possible. In your remarks, we encourage you to insist that water remains in its natural
watershed (no inter-basin transfers) and that neither water nor water withdrawal permits are ever allowed to be traded or sold as commodities.
We also recommend that the state's policies (across the board) are made uniformly consistent with the goals and principles of water management -
meaning that Georgia's energy and economic development policies, for example, must accountably protect water quality and all other aspects of the
water management plan. Georgians cannot afford to have public policies working at cross purposes, and we must have sufficient state funding to
support an effective water management program. This means rigorous enforcement of regulations and ample field monitoring and assessment to ensure
reliable water quality and conservation.
And if you cannot attend one of the meetings, please submit your comments by email or regular mail to EPD. Their contact information and instructions
for submittal are at http://www.gadnr.org/gswp/ .
Again, please see the schedule for the water council meeting, posted below.
For the Coast,
David Kyler
Center for a Sustainable Coast
221 Mallory Street, Suite B
Saint Simons Island, GA 31522
Voice: 912.638.3612
www.sustainablecoast.org
Schedule for Water Council Meetings in Georgia
Tuesday, May 22 - Atlanta
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Atlanta Technical College
Cleveland L. Dennard Building
1560 Metropolitan Parkway, SW
Atlanta, GA 30310
Wednesday, May 23 - Augusta
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Augusta Technical College
Information Technology Center
3200 Augusta Tech Drive
Augusta, GA 30906
Thursday, May 24 - Macon
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Macon State College
Learning Support Building Auditorium
100 College Station Drive
Macon, GA 31206
Tuesday, May 29 - Columbus
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Columbus State University
Founders Hall
4225 University Ave
Columbus, GA 31907
Wednesday, May 30 - Albany
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Darton College
Division of Continuing Education & Economic Development
Room J-121-123
2400 Gillionville Road
Albany, GA 31707
Thursday, May 31 - Waycross
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Okefenokee Technical College
Miller Lecture Hall
1701 Carswell Avenue
Waycross, GA 31503
Saturday, June 2 - Savannah
10:00 am to 12:00 pm
Armstrong Atlantic State University
Armstrong Center
13040 Abercorn Street
Savannah, GA 31401
Saturday, June 2 - Statesboro
3:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Georgia Southern University
Nessmith - Lane Building
Assembly Hall/Auditorium
Plant Drive
Statesboro, GA 30460
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