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 - minmizing 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