Water Resources Workgroup

Dominic Weatherill, WRW Chair
Formed in 1998
Mission: to research and analyze key water-related issues affecting Georgia industry

GIEC intervened on EPD's behalf on the Riverkeepers' appeal of EPD's permit for General Storm Water for Discharges Associated with Industrial Activity. Another party (Georgia Poultry Federation) intervened, focusing their efforts almost entirely on the Riverkeepers' interest related to fecal coliform sampling and compliance criteria. There were a total of twelve issues for which the Riverkeeper groups were appealing the permit. GIEC successfully negotiated with the Riverkeepers (and EPD) so that none of the issues most significant to the GIEC (and Georgia industry) were adopted into the permit. One GIEC member company estimates that the result of GIEC's intervention saved their company over $3 million, which they would have had to spend on capital costs alone to comply with the original proposed permit.

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EPD appointed GIEC representatives to serve on all advisory committees related to the legislative-mandated Statewide Water Plan, including the Basin Advisory Committees, the State Advisory Committee, and the Technical Advisory Committee. In fact, GIEC was the only member who represented water user/business interests on the Technical Advisory Committee for Target Flow Regimes, where interbasin transfers and reservoirs were the focus. The WRW will monitor the Plan's development and provide input on those issues most pertinent to Georgia industry.