Environment & Energy Committee Water Policy Statement
The Georgia Chamber supports the establishment of a state-wide water plan.
Access to sustainable sources of high quality and sufficient quantities of water resources from either surface or groundwater sources, is vital to the ongoing prosperity and future growth of Georgia.The Georgia Chamber supports environmental responsibility through initiatives designed to balance community and economic growth with the sustainable use of the State’s water resources. This can be achieved through the development and implementation of a comprehensive state-wide water plan that:
• Promotes the sustainable management, use and re-use of the State’s water resources
• Prioritizes and promotes water conservation practices
• Is underpinned by accurate, timely data and sound science
• Is outcome driven
The state-wide water plan must:
• Support current and future community and economic growth across the State
• Promote conservation practices by both community and business alike
• Stimulate investment in:
– new reservoirs
– infrastructure refurbishment
– water efficiency technologies
• Encourage innovation in and the adoption of new technologies and
management practices that enhance sustainable water resource
management across all industry sectors and the wider community
• Create an environment that enables Georgia to become a national and global
leader in water resource management
• Be fully funded by general State appropriations
• Be subject to regular review
Water Issue Update
March 26,2008
Water resource management in Georgia has passed two significant milestones in 2008: the Georgia Statewide Water Plan was passed by the General Assembly and subsequently signed off by Governor Perdue in early February.
This activity marked the conclusion of the initial planning phase and now starts the implementation stage that will run for a number of years.
The Environment & Energy Committee has now turned its focus toward engaging the implementation of this Statewide water plan. This entails
• policy development necessary to clarify the Georgia Chamber’s position on
specific water resource issues;
• consideration of initiatives that the Committee can implement to provide
leadership to Georgia Chamber members in capitalizing on and meeting the
challenges outlined in the Water Plan; and
• identifying options to work constructively with Dr Carol Couch and her
colleagues in the Environmental Protection Division (EPD) and other
Government agencies to ensure that the Water Plan is implemented in full,
on-time and within the budget constraints imposed.
The initial focus of the Committee’s deliberations has been on:
• monitoring legislative activity and reviewing, where appropriate, Bills as
they become available;
• addressing selection criteria for Regional Water Council membership; and
• clarifying the opt-in, opt-out processes for finalizing the delineation of
regional water planning boundaries.
The next major activity that will focus the Committee’s attention will be ensuring that suitable experienced and qualified individuals from within the Georgia Chamber membership are encouraged to apply for membership on one of the 10 Regional Water Planning Councils. Nominations and selection processes are expected to be conducted in April/May.
The Committee has established a fixed monthly meeting schedule that will be complemented with further meetings, as required, to address issues as they arise.
Environment & Energy Committee
kickoff November 26, 2007
Chair: Suzanne Sitherwood, Atlanta Gas Light Company
Gary Black, Agri-Business Council
Bruce Coles, MACTEC
Pat Corleto, CH2MHill
Ken Cornelius, Siemens One
Duane Harris, Sea Georgia Adventures Company
Chuck Huling, Georgia Power
Tim Lowe, Lowe Engineers
Doug Miell, Water Expert - Georgia Chamber of Commerce
Rob Mitchell, Linger Longer Communities
Bo Moore, McKenna Long Aldridge
Donna Moore, Compass Project Management Consulting
Nick Pearson, The Georgia Chamber of Commerce
Alec Poitevint, Southeastern Minerals
Joe Tanner, Tanner & Associates
