Georgia's DNR Board Count Important - To Floridians

From the Jacksonville Times-Union, about our Sonny stacking our DNR board with developers and builders. Sally Bethea was also on WABE this morning too, with an excellent interview in which she said Georgians surely want more diversity on a Natural Resources board than just developers and building interests. Got that right.

The ouster of three of the most pro-environment members of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources board has critics concerned that the department's mission of safeguarding the state's rivers, streams and estuaries will be compromised.

Environmentalists became particularly worried last month when the Senate rejected Gov. Sonny Perdue's reappointment of Sally Bethea, the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper and one of their main allies on the Board of Natural Resources.

That move followed the ouster of two members of the panel whom Perdue did not reappoint because a 2005 round of congressional redistricting left them in the same district as another board member, the governor's office said. Thirteen of the board's 18 members are appointed according to their congressional districts.

"The board is just way out of balance," charged Gordon Rogers, executive director of Satilla Riverkeeper. "And it's been systematic."

Sonny's Do To The DNR Board

Governor Perdue appointed Joe Hatfield, chairman of Fieldale Farms Corporation, to the DNR Board in 2006. He was confirmed by Senator Tommie Williams et al in the same action that excluded Sally Bethea of Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper.

Here's Fieldale’s violations of environmental regulations - about $100,000 in fines for seven different consent orders.

But wait! There's more! Mr. Hatfield was placed on the DNR Board’s Environmental Protection Committee - the most important regulatory committee on the board.

I think we can now safely say... the fox is soooo guarding the hen house.

Executed orders:

Under authority of the Water Quality Control Act (including Surface Water Allocation):

Facility:
Fieldale Farms Corporation, land application system/Toccoa
Location:
Stephens County
Order Number:
EPD-WQ-4674
Date of Issue:
January 29, 2007
Cause of Order:
Sludge spill/fish kill in Big Tom's Creek
Requirement(s) of Order:
Provide interim plan for operation/maintenance of existing pretreatment system to comply with Permit; submit maintenance/replacement schedule for protein conversion cooker; submit spill containment plan
Settlement Amount:
$35808.00

Facility:
Fieldale Farms Corporation
Location:
Habersham County
Order Number:
EPD-WQ-4001
Date of Issue:
June 21, 2002
Cause of Order:
Fish kill at South Fork of Mud Creek
Requirement(s) of Order:
Develop/implement a current and approvable stormwater pollution prevention plan; submit complete, detailed facility evaluation and diagram, by certified engineer; submit written standard operating plan
Settlement Amount:
$10543.00

Facility:
Fieldale Farms Corporation
Location:
Habersham County
Order Number:
EPD-WQ-3732
Date of Issue:
May 30, 2000
Cause of Order:
Violations of Industrial Pretreatment Permit
Requirement(s) of Order:
Submit standard operating procedure for correctly calculating data reported on discharge monitoring reports; develop/submit approvable program for routine calibration and maintenance of flow meters;
Settlement Amount:
$37250.00

Facility:
Fieldale Farms Corporation
Location:
Habersham County
Order Number:
EPD-PCEP-99-120
Date of Issue:
July 09, 1999
Cause of Order:
Pretreatment Permit violation
Requirement(s) of Order:
Correct immediately
Settlement Amount:
$750.00

Facility:
Fieldale Farms Corporation
Location:
Stephens County
Order Number:
EPD-WQ-3592
Date of Issue:
February 15, 1999
Cause of Order:
Spill/fish kill to Big Tom's Creek
Requirement(s) of Order:
Implement spill prevention and containment plan
Settlement Amount:
$10000.00

Facility:
Fieldale Farms Corporation
Location:
Stephens County
Order Number:
EPD-ERT-WQ-3577
Date of Issue:
January 07, 1999
Cause of Order:
Chemical spill/fish kill
Requirement(s) of Order:
Immediately notify proper authority in the event of future spills or releases
Settlement Amount:
$3000.00

Facility:
Fieldale Farms Corporation
Location:
Habersham County
Order Number:
EPD-PCEP-98-075
Date of Issue:
December 09, 1998
Cause of Order:
Industrial pretreatment permit violations
Requirement(s) of Order:
Comply immediately
Settlement Amount:
$3000.00

Information courtesy of UCR.

Nothing "Natural" on DNR Board

Let's count the envionmentalists on Georgia's DNR board!

If you can't find any here, then try counting the builders and developers instead. You'll find that more fruitful. Heck, there are two more dentists on the board than people who seek to protect our natural resources. What's with that? Might have to have one of my cellular chats with those dudes too, just for grins... and blogging purposes of course.

And of course, being a polite Southern lady, I'll be sure to invite them to the party for Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper on May 10th!


CITIZEN JOURNALISM MOMENT: Help me call some of these fine folks on the DNR board and invite them to River Revival!

A list of contact info for these folk is here. Another citizen journalism bonus point to see if any of these are also lobbyists.


DNR BOARD MEMBERS AND OCCUPATIONS
Per AJC, Oct 2006

William "Bill" Archer III, Lake Burton
Retired Georgia Power executive vice president; working as a consultant for the utility company on a three-year contract through 2009.

Earl Barrs, Cochran
Owner of Knapp-Barrs & Associates Inc., a Macon timberland management and investment company; also owns other land investment companies.

Jenny Lynn Bradley, Savannah
Community volunteer and former vice president of the Garden Club of America.

Warren Budd, Newnan
New York Life insurance agent.

William A. Carruth, Dallas
President of Aiken Grading Co., a land grading operation; also owns land development companies.

Cader Cox, Camilla
CEO of Riverview Plantation Inc., a quail hunting plantation on the Flint River; also owns a vegetable and timber farm.

Walter Hudson, Douglasville
President of Exxell Developers Inc. and Land Sales Inc., real estate development companies.

Mabel C. Jenkins, Millen
Retired.

Phyllis T. Johnson, Hazlehurst
Co-owner of Thompson Hardwoods Inc., lumber and wood products manufacturer.

Bob Rutland, Covington
Chairman and part owner of Allied Holdings Inc., a Decatur car-hauling business.

Loyce W. Turner, Valdosta
Former state senator, retired veterinarian, retired banker, farmer; runs a family foundation.

James W. Tysinger, Atlanta
Former state senator, retired sales industrial engineer from Westinghouse Electric Corp.

James Walters, Gainesville
President and CEO of James A. Walters Management Co. Inc., which provides management services for consumer finance companies. Managing partner of Walters Income Properties, which owns and manages commercial and office buildings, and shopping centers.

Tom Wheeler, Atlanta
Manager and principal owner of Wheeler/Kolb Co., a Duluth company that manages and leases shopping centers and office parks in the Southeast.


NEW MEMBERS SINCE OCTOBER 2006.
The following individuals replaced Sara Clark (Community Volunteer/League of Women Voters), Ralph Callaway (Callaway Gardens) and Jamie Reynolds (Developer):

Dr. David Allen, Atlanta (Oral surgeon)
Chair emeritus and founder, Oral Surgery Associates; Chair, Georgia Chamber of Commerce

Joe Hatfield, Baldwin
Chairman, Fieldale Farms Corporation

Dr. Gene Bishop, Dawsonville (Oral surgeon)
President, Health Service Centers


VACANT POSITION FOR GOVERNOR PERDUE TO FILL.
AT-LARGE BOARD SEAT PREVIOUSLY HELD BY SALLY BETHEA.

Shame, Sonny, shame. (All of the above are Governor appointees.)