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Ensure Enough Clean Water Downstream
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Senate Bill 155, sponsored by Sen. Chip Pearson, would harden into law an automatic removal of stream buffer protections for unnamed tributaries, or ephemeral streams, which could threaten a clean supply of drinking water.
Georgia law provides for a 25 foot buffer along all streams in the state. Natural buffers along streams, rivers, lakes and reservoirs protect the quality of our water by filtering out pollutants, sediment, and other contaminants from storm water runoff. They also shade waterways to keep temperatures cool, prevent stream banks from eroding, and provide essential habitat for fish and wildlife.
However, Senator Chip Pearson (R-Dawsonville) has introduced a bill that threatens the quality of Georgia's drinking water by removing stream buffer protection for unnamed tributaries throughout the state. Buffers on these streams are critical because these special places are where our rivers are born. They feed our larger streams and rivers, ensure enough clean water downstream and provide tap water for millions of Georgians.
Many conservation groups, including the Georgia Water Coalition have serious concerns about Senate Bill 155, sponsored by Senator Pearson and others, because it rolls back the protection of our natural buffers by granting developers an automatic excusal or variance from the buffer protections on our ephemeral streams.
By exempting unnamed tributaries from this law, SB 155 affects the property values of people living downstream. Removing stream buffers on these streams that feed into larger bodies of water would muddy-up streams and lakes where we fish and recreate and dirty our drinking water, costing downstreamers more money to clean their drinking water. Clean water is also essential to Georgia's recreational fishing and seafood industries, which generate billions of dollars annually in revenue for the state and support thousands of jobs.
Send a message to your Representative asking them to Vote NO on SB 155.
Click "more" below to see if your State Senator sponsored Senate Bill 155 and to view the text of the legislation.
Your message will be sent to each of the following targets:
Your State Representative
A sample message appears below, which you may edit before sending.
Please Vote NO on SB 155
Dear Representative,
Buffers on small, unnamed tributaries, also called ephemeral streams, are critical because these special places are where our rivers are born. They feed our larger streams and rivers and ensure enough clean water downstream.
SB 155 would harden into law an automatic excusal from a 25 foot buffer for this entire class of streams. Removing stream buffers would muddy-up our streams and lakes where we fish and recreate and dirty our drinking water, costing downstreamers more money to clean their drinking water.
This legislation is unnecessary. Current regulations already allow for the Georgia EPD director to grant variances to buffers while ensuring the integrity of our natural resources is maintained.
I urge you to please Vote NO on SB 155.
Thank you,
Your name and address here
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