U.S. Senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff introduced a bill on Thursday aimed at preserving and protecting the Chattahoochee River. The Chattahoochee River Act will help to improve water quality, protect public property and restore native ecosystems along the river. As Georgia’s longest river and connected to Atlanta, the river’s health is vital for Georgia’s drinking water, agricultural industry, power supply and economy as a whole.
“The health of our communities in Georgia is tied to the health of our environment,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “While the Chattahoochee River’s water quality has improved in recent years, there is still 1,000 miles of Chattahoochee watershed waterways that do not meet water-quality standards. Clean water is essential for heathy and thriving communities. So, I’m proud to work with Senator Ossoff to introduce legislation to invest in improving, protecting and preserving the Chattahoochee River.”
There are nearly 7,000 withdrawal permits for agricultural use approved by the state of Georgia and the river provides some 70 percent of metro Atlanta’s drinking water. Recreational use of the river is difficult to pinpoint exactly because of its size but the National Park Service says the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area alone – a 48-stretch from Lake Lanier down to Vinings – totals more than $200 million to the local economy and supports more than 2,000 jobs.
“The Chattahoochee River is one of Georgia’s most precious natural resources, vital to Georgia’s drinking water, agriculture, and our natural environment. That’s why I’ve written this bill to protect, preserve, and restore the Chattahoochee River for generations to come,” Ossoff said.
The Chattahoochee River Keepers identify more than 1,000 miles of waterways within the Chattahoochee watershed that do not meet water quality standards. The bill would provide federal funding of $90 million total for up 80 percent of the costs of the projects that would qualify under the bill, with no single project to cost more than $15 million. Projects that qualify under the bill include erosion control measures, protection of shorelines, ecosystem restoration and beneficial uses of dredged material.
The bill comes on the heels of last week’s news about a metal recycling facility in south Atlanta that was issued a stop order by the Environmental Protection Agency until it comes up with a plan for dealing with hazardous waste. Increased attention on the importance of watershed runoff is undoubtedly part of the efforts with the Chattahoochee bill. Elevated levels of lead were found by preliminary testing in nearby soils and waterways. The EPA says the company in question, TAV Holdings, never provided notice to them or the Georgia Environmental Protection Division about solid or hazardous waste activities at the facility. The facility is bordered by an unnamed creek which flows into the South River, ultimately an Altamaha tributary.
