Georgia Water Coalition hosts Clean 13 Awards

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - Several South Georgians working to protect Georgia’s waterways were awarded for their efforts Thursday.

The Georgia Water Coalition held its Clean 13 award ceremony at the Flint Riverkeeper’s Office in downtown Albany.

The Flint Riverkeeper honored people from across the state, including several Southwest Georgia farmers who fought legislation that would hurt conservation efforts.

Sumter County Farmer Jenny Crisp said conservation efforts and farming just make sense together.

“Hand in hand. And that goes back to the 50s,” said Crisp.

Crisp and fellow Sumter County Farmer Marjie McRee were part of a group that helped end the “Right to Farm” bill or HB 545. They said the bill limited property owners’ rights and would lead to environmental damage.

“We have an obligation to do what we can to protect the world that God gave us in whatever small way we can. This was our way of trying to help protect the water so the younger generation could have the same things we had,” said McRee.

Crisp’s family includes generations of farmers and she is dedicated to protecting her state.

“Georgia is a beautiful, wonderful state. It has everything any other state has except for a desert and we don’t want one of those,” joked Crisp.

Senator Freddie Powell Sims of Dawson wasn’t at the ceremony but also received an award for efforts on HB 545.

You can nominate someone for a Clean 13 award until July 13.

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