Live, Local, Late Breaking news, weather, and sportsFlint Riverkeeper worries about budget cuts

Flint Riverkeeper worries about budget cuts

The Flint Riverkeeper watchdog group worries state budget cuts put Georgia's rivers and streams in danger.

He says cuts have left Georgia's Environmental Protection Division unable to oversee the state's waterways properly.

Georgia's EPD has been seeing budget cuts since 2008, and of course they have seen even bigger cuts in the last couple of years. The Flint Riverkeeper says those cuts have gone too far.

The Flint Riverkeeper says the 350 mile waterway could be in danger because of deep budget cuts to the Georgia Environmental Protection division.

Gordon Rogers said, "They have just been hammered in their ability to enforce the law."

During this time when many Americans are calling for less government and bureaucratic oversight, the stewardship group says EPD cuts could lead to environmental danger.

Rogers said "In our opinion they are teetering on the edge of being able to properly enforce the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act. And that's of deep concern to us."

The state has slashed the EPD's funding 44 percent since 2008. In 2008 they had 986 full time employees. Today they have 810.

During that time period, Georgia's population has grown by more than one and a half million residents.

The Flint River is vital to South Georgia's economy, and Albany industries like Procter and Gamble and MillerCoors work with the group closely.

Procter and Gamble External Affairs Director Vince Falcione said "It's our lifeblood when it comes to Proctor and Gamble. We need water make paper. So it's important we have an abundance of clean water now and in the future."

Rogers says after years of drought and population growth, the Flint River faces more extreme challenges now than ever. And he says government oversight can not be gutted during these times.

 Rogers said "You have got one or two employees that typically, I'm speaking in the typical scenario, that are responsible for a couple of dozen counties. It's just impossible to maintain the scrutiny."

So Flint Riverkeeper says the state budget cutbacks have gone too far, and the group is calling on state leaders to give the EPD more funding.

Rogers said his group feels that the Flint River is 8 percent over allocated in the northern half, and 9 percent over allocated in the southern half. He says that is why Flint Riverkeeper is so concerned by falling flows in recent years, at a time when water is so vital.

Gordon Rogers said Flint Riverkeeper feels that government oversight is needed to make sure Georgians share water in the reasonable way that state law requires.

Environmental Protection Division State Appropriations
(Source: GA EPD)

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