Recently the fabulous Lake Lanier Associatiation sent out a questionare to candidates for public office. One of the questions is, and my answer follows:

3. Please list other initiatives you would implement in support of a full and clean Lake Lanier.

As everyone knows the EPD is overworked, understaffed, and underappreciated.  However, they are legally charged with protection of the environment.  It has come to my attention that there is a sewer system which has been  permitted to discharge effluent directly into Lake Lanier (I have seen a copy of the fine sent out to this sewer system).  This system is frequently and currently in violation of  EPD water quality standards.  However the EPD has done nothing to fix this or enforce and collect the fines. The picture top right is the outflow pipe.

This sad situation alone is of grave concern to me, but the discharge is right across from the Great Wolf project and flows past a proposed beach which will be moved because of the Great Wolf project.

The sewer is in the service area of the City of Cumming and it could have taken the outflow at any time in the last 4 years with less than 100 yards of piping and stopped all of the pollution.

So my answer is to support and direct the EPD to do their legally required tasks.

My letter to the Corps of Engineers:

 Monday, May 19, 2008 2:40 PM

burge@usace.army.mil <burge@usace.army.mil>