Friday, September 01, 2006

Written 8/29/06

Barrow Granted Permit for Barber Creek Discharge

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources has issued a permit to Barrow County to allow it to begin dumping treated sewage water into Barber Creek.

The permit is initially for 0.5 million gallons per day of wastewater; it will go to 1.5 MGD when the plant is fully built.

The issuance of a permit is not a surprise. It is quite clear now that the Environmental Protection Division has signaled to both Barrow and Oconee counties its receptivity to permit requests to dump sewage water into Barber Creek. Oconee County has a permit request pending.

It is crucial that we force a public hearing on the Oconee County request so we can keep pressure on the state and on Oconee County officials to consider all the options before adding more treated sewage water to Barber Creek.

Here’s a draft letter:

DATE
Linda MacGregor, Branch Chief
Water Protection Branch
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
Environmental Protection Division
4220 International Parkway, Suite 101Atlanta, GA 30354

Dear Ms. MacGregor:

The Oconee County Board of Commissioners is seeking NPDES Permit No. GA0038806 for the Rocky Branch Water Reclamation Facility on Rocky Branch Road. The permit is to provide for a discharge flow of 1.0 million gallons per day of treated wastewater to Barber Creek.
On August 18, 2006, your office issued a permit to Barrow County allowing it to discharge 1.5 MGD of wastewater into Barber Creek. These two plants are only a short distance from each other.

TELL HOW BARBER CREEK AFFECTS YOU AND YOUR PROPERTY.

I ask that you hold a public hearing on the Oconee County request so that I can voice my concerns and learn more about the application in light of your decision to issue a permit to Barrow County.

Sincerely,