05 LC
25 4109
Senate
Resolution 499
By:
Senator Tolleson of the 20th
A
RESOLUTION
Creating
the Senate Coastal Georgia Sound Science Initiative Study Committee; and for
other purposes.
WHEREAS,
rapid population growth in coastal Georgia, increased tourism, and sustained
industrial activity have adversely affected coastal Georgia's water resources
and limited the available water supply; and
WHEREAS,
the main source of water supply in the coastal area is the Upper Floridan
aquifer, an extremely productive water source which was first developed in the
late 1800's and has been used extensively in the area ever since;
and
WHEREAS,
water withdrawals from the aquifer have resulted in several problems, including:
substantial water-level declines; migration of seawater into the aquifer at the
northern end of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina; contamination of the aquifer
from underlying brine-filled strata at Brunswick, Georgia; and decreased
ground-water inflow to springs, freshwater ponds, marshes, and wetlands, which
could affect the balance of freshwater and saltwater in tidal rivers and
estuaries; and
WHEREAS,
saltwater contamination has constrained further development of the Upper
Floridan aquifer in coastal Georgia and created fierce competing demands for the
limited fresh water supply; and
WHEREAS,
the Environmental Protection Division of the Department of Natural Resources
(EPD) released an interim strategy in April, 1997, to manage saltwater intrusion
in the Upper Floridan aquifer; and, as part of this interim plan, EPD capped
permitted withdrawal from the Upper Floridan aquifer at 1997 rates in the
Savannah and Brunswick areas; and
WHEREAS,
the EPD has funded a program of scientific and feasibility studies, known as the
Georgia Coastal Sound Science Initiative, to support development of a related
final water-management strategy;
WHEREAS,
the current status of the initiative is as follows: all field studies of the
initiative have been completed; approximately 41 peer-reviewed scientific
reports have been published to date; a comprehensive ground-water and
surface-water monitoring network has been established in Georgia; ground-water
modeling capable of indicating where and when saltwater intrusion will occur is
in development and initial results will be available in the spring of 2005; the
cost-effectiveness of various methods of stopping saltwater intrusion needs
further study; a first draft of a final strategy and public hearings are
scheduled for the summer of 2005; and a revised draft of a final strategy is due
in December, 2005; and
WHEREAS,
it is imperative to review the results of the initiative, especially with regard
to what, if any, legislation may be warranted thereby.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that there is created the Senate Coastal
Georgia Sound Science Initiative Study Committee to be composed of five members
of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Assignments. The
Senate Committee on Assignments shall designate a member of the committee as
chairperson of the committee. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the
committee.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the committee shall undertake a study of the
conditions, needs, issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and
recommend any action or legislation which the committee deems necessary or
appropriate. The committee may conduct such meetings at such places and at such
times as it may deem necessary or convenient to enable it to exercise fully and
effectively its powers, perform its duties, and accomplish the objectives and
purposes of this resolution. The members of the committee shall receive the
allowances provided for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated. The allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received
by any member of the committee for more than five days unless additional days
are authorized. The funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this
resolution shall come from the funds appropriated to the Senate. In the event
the committee makes a report of its findings and recommendations, with
suggestions for proposed legislation, if any, such report shall be made on or
before December 1, 2005. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1,
2005.