Political Cronyism
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Spring 2013 A publication of Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (CRK) RiverCHAT www.chattahoochee.org POLITICAL CRONYISM: A LEADING CAUSE OF STATEWIDE WATER PROBLEMS ver the past decade, the health A careful look at the coalition’s Dirty Dozen Chattahoochee ‘offenses’ of Georgia’s waterways has been shows that the message is about dirty poli- Ocompromised by political cronyism tics as much as dirty water. The proposed Glades reservoir on Flat and a lack of funding for environmental pro- Creek, a tributary to Lake Lanier in Hall grams, according to the Georgia Water Coali- The coalition highlights $213 million in County, is a returning “water offense” from tion, which released its annual “Dirty Dozen government spending that should concern the 2011 Dirty Dozen list; it made this year’s 2012: A Call to Action” in November. fiscal conservatives … and conservation- list at No. 3. ists. The dirty facts include $9 million in state gifts to some of Deal’s political sup- Aside from provoking downstream states, porters, $82 million in loans to questionable Glades reservoir would have devastating reservoir projects, and $122 million in pol- impacts on the river system. The dam would lution control fees collected from taxpayers obliterate more than 17 miles of free-flowing but raided by state budget writers. streams. Because Flat Creek alone isn’t big enough to fill the proposed impoundment, Contributor payback? the county proposes to pump 100 million gallons of water per day directly from the Headlining the 2012 Dirty Dozen is Gov. Chattahoochee above Lanier and into the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (CRK) is a Deal’s $300 million water supply program, reservoir, reducing flows into the lake and founding member of the coalition, which with its intended purpose of directing state further downstream. was established in 2002 to protect state loans and grants to “critical, cost-effective” waterways and now includes about water supply projects. The state’s continuing failure to ensure 300,000 Georgians. adequate monitoring and mainte- nance of critical flows in the river Budget cuts, fox guarding hen house at Peachtree Creek in Atlanta was listed at No. 7. Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division (EPD) has seen its funding Twice in 2012, communication cut by 44 percent and staff cut by 23 glitches between agencies led to percent (250 positions) since 2008, extreme low-flow conditions in the jeopardizing the agency’s ability to Chattahoochee below Buford Dam. enforce state environmental laws. Bull Sluice Lake, a reservoir on the Chattahoochee formed by Morgan More problematic is the political cro- Falls Dam, almost disappeared, nyism that puts campaign contribu- stranding boaters on mud flats. Riv- tors, representing their business in- er flows dipped to unprecedented terests, on the Department of Natural lows at Peachtree Creek and else- Resources Board that oversees EPD where with unknown water quality — the agency that regulates those consequences, underscoring a chronic prob- same businesses. A great idea … if “critical and cost-effective” lem: the lack of real-time monitoring. remain the guiding principles. Instead, cro- Of the 16 governor-appointed board mem- nyism trumped “cost-effective.” For a copy of the 2012 Dirty Dozen report, see bers serving when the report was released, http://www.garivers.org/gawater/dirtydozen. 11 had ties to entities that EPD regulates. The only projects to receive direct state htm. To get involved with the Georgia Water investment (funds not requiring reimburse- Coalition at the State Capitol, see page 6. ‘Liberal interest group’ ment to the state) were a $4.4 million well-drilling plan for a private resort and Gov. Nathan Deal’s administration, a target water park owned by Deal campaign con- Inside This Issue: of much of the report, responded by calling tributor Virgil Williams and a $4.6 million the coalition a “liberal interest group.” experimental groundwater injection pro- Coal ash disposal rules overdue Page 3 posal from a Deal campaign contributor, Joe It was a curious characterization of a Tanner & Associates. Board member brings world view Page 4 187-member coalition of environmental, hunting and fishing, business, landowner When the first round of loans and grants Get outside with CRK in 2013 Page 5 and faith-based groups. It’s also an inac- were announced, $82 million of the $100 curate one that substitutes name-calling for million awarded was directed only to Celebrate Earth Month this April Page 7 effective solutions to water problems. questionable reservoir projects — no water conservation initiatives. 2012 — By the Numbers Page 8 STAFF Sally Bethea Executive Director and Riverkeeper Reflections Tammy Bates Outings Manager My mentor and friend Jerry McCollum recently But don’t let his modesty fool you. Few if any of retired from the Georgia Wildlife Federation (GWF), these successes, and many others, would have been Juliet Cohen General Counsel and I’ve been thinking about his legacy — for people achieved without Jerry’s excellent political sense and and wildlife in the state of Georgia, for Chattahoochee unflagging work ethic. Laura Hartt Water Policy Director Riverkeeper, and for me personally. Coalition-builder Bonnie Jackson For 25 years, Jerry served Operations Manager as president of the oldest Purposefully and methodically, Jerry worked to ex- Becca Klein (1936) and largest conser- pand the reach of Georgia’s conservation community Development Director vation organization in the by helping create, as one example, the Georgia Water Mary Manson state. He led GWF from Coalition (see Page 1). GWF’s Alcovy Conservation Receptionist a largely dysfunctional Center has long served as the permanent home for Michael Meyer Water Coalition meetings and celebrations. Watershed Protection Specialist group of mostly hunt- ers and fishermen in the David Lee Simmons Importantly, these coalitions and other team efforts Communications Director late 1980s to a politically influential organization have not just helped protect Georgia’s natural environ- Jill Sistino ment; they also have fostered enduring friendships Regional Outreach Manager that has literally changed Georgia’s natural landscape for the better. and provided opportunities for younger conservation- Jessica Sterling ists and activists to learn and thrive. Program Assistant A wildlife biologist who worked with the Georgia DNR Jason Ulseth before taking the GWF reins, Jerry has always advo- On a more personal Technical Programs Director cated natural resource management decisions based level, I have always Christina York on science, never expedience. Persistently and elo- known that I could Database Manager quently, he has used his common sense approach and count on Jerry when- BOARD OF DIRECTORS determination to give a strong voice to the wildlife, riv- ever I was in a pinch and needed sound Sarah Dearman ers, forests and estuaries that help define our state. advice — and that Denise Donahue it would be exactly Gary Gaines Saving our natural heritage what I needed to hear, Billy Hall From the coast and the Okefenokee Swamp, across even when it pushed Victor Haydel the state to the north Georgia mountains, Jerry helped me in a different, per- Hugo Hernandez save and restore pieces of our natural heritage for cur- haps uncomfortable, Photo courtesy of Georgia Wildlife Federation Bill Hoffman rent and future generations of sportsmen and women, direction. Jerry McCollum Christine Hung birders, hikers, boaters and families. Dr. Victor Ibeanusi Generous and loyal almost to a fault, Jerry believed in Richard Jacobson For all of this and more he deserves our sincere me and our fledgling organization, like he has believed Dave Kirkpatrick gratitude and appreciation; Jerry did this work with no in so many others over the years, and when I hardly Steve O’Day thought of self-promotion or fanfare. believed in myself. That inspiration — to “just get on Jamie Pryor with the work,” as he would say — is basic for meeting David Shaffer He’s likely to tell you that he was just one player in our mission to protect the Chattahoochee, and so Charles Smith achievements, including land deals that protected much more. Catherine Woodling tens of thousands of acres, the successful fight to stop J. Rutherford Seydel II, Chair titanium mining from harming the Okefenokee, and the creation of Georgia’s Schoolyard Habitat Program, Our mission is to advocate and secure the Hunters for the Hungry and the Camo Coalition — pro- protection and stewardship of the Chattahoochee grams that spawned offshoots nationally. Executive Director and Riverkeeper River, its tributaries and watershed. ATLANTA OFFICE 3 Puritan Mill 916 Joseph Lowery Blvd. Atlanta, GA 30318 Watershed Moment 404-352-9828 I love the rushing bend of the Chattahoochee just below the Buford Dam, GAINESVILLE OFFICE especially in the summer when a cold mist rises over the fast-moving river 615 F Oak Street Suite 1000 and into hardwood thickets along the banks. While the area may be an Gainesville, GA 30501 uneasy joining of nature and mankind, I still like to hike the trails along 770-531-1064 the ravine and enjoy the many birds who have seemingly forgiven our in- LAGRANGE OFFICE trusion. I am not a fisherman, but I find a common ground with those who 35 Lafayette Square come here for the trout — we all want to protect this natural bounty. LaGrange GA 30240 — John Eidschun, Midtown Atlanta www.chattahoochee.org www.getthedirtout.org What’s your “Watershed Moment”? Email your hi-res color image of the river, and about 100 words about its inspiration, to [email protected]. 2 River CHAT Smelly landfill may be polluting creek On Patrol The largely minority community of Newtown in Gainesville has suffered decades of industrial pollution, most recently a disgust- For further details on CRK’s investigations and enforcement actions, go to ing odor emanating from Gainesville Waste and Recycling www.chattahoochee.org/on-patrol. (GWAR), a facility owned by Ken Cronan and originally permit- ted to handle inert construction material.