News
1. Georgia Water Coalition News
2. Nominations Invited for American Land Conservation Awards
Group Spotlight
3. Save Our Satilla

Workshops/Conferences/Calendar Items
4. March DNR Board Meeting
5. Workshop to Elect Pro-Environmental Candidates – Sierra Club and GCVEF
6. Workshop on Water Conservation and Xeriscape - GWWC
7. Acid Battery Collection Day
8. Workshop on How to Use the Internet to Attract Donors
9. GEO College Summit
10. 2004 Clean Water Campaign Workshops

Policy
11. Sign Up for GEAN

Resources
12. Find Out Who Your Elected Officials Are
13. IRS Publishes New Guides for Non-Profits

14. Sierra Club Fact Sheets - Mercury and Sanitary Sewer Overflows

Fundraising
15. Bird-A-Thon to benefit Georgia River Network - Pledge today!
16. Fundraising Deadlines

Join Georgia River Network!

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1. Georgia Water Coalition News:
SB 460 The Senate passed SB 460, the “Stream Destruction Act of 2004”, sponsored by Senator Casey Cagle. SB 460 creates a general variance to the existing stream buffer requirements that would allow virtually every spring and small headwater stream in the state of Georgia to be piped and paved. This would, in turn, affect larger waterways all across the state, from the mountains to the coast. The 90-minute debate on the Senate floor clearly demonstrated the positive effects of the calls, faxes, and emails from Coalition partners and their members. Senators Seth Harp, Dan Lee, Regina Thomas, Steve Thompson, and Sam Zamarripa all asked excellent questions and really challenged Senator Cagle to defend his bill. Senators David Adelman and Rene Kemp also worked hard on the Senate floor to garner opposition to the bill. Senator Zamarripa introduced amendment #1A that would have would have stricken the provision for a general variance, thereby requiring individual variances for the piping of streams as is currently required. The amendment passed on a first vote but was narrowly defeated after a vote to reconsider.

ACTION NEEDED :

SB 460 is expected to be heard by the House Rules Committee on Friday, March 19, and on the floor of the House on Monday, March 22, at the earliest. Call your representatives in the House, especially if your Representative serves on the House Rules Committee (Rules Committee Members: http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2003_04/house/Committees/gahrules.htm). Tell them to vote against SB 460.

Also, please use the links below (or cut and paste into your browser) to view the votes and contact your Senator to thank them if they voted “yes” on the Zamarripa amendment and “no” on the bill’s final passage. Please also thank the other Senators mentioned above who worked hard to maintain our current stream buffer protections through debate and action on the Senate floor:

To view the amendment vote, click here: http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2003_04/votes/sv0885.htm

To view the final passage vote, click here: http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2003_04/votes/sv0887.htm

To identify your Senator and get contact information, click here: http://congress.org/congressorg/state/main/?state=GA&view=myofficials#0

HB 237: Because the House refused to pass the first Conference Committee Report, HB 237 has gone back to the Conference Committee. The point of debate is whether the General Assembly or the DNR Board should have final approval of the Comprehensive Statewide Water Management Plan. We expect that the conference committee will meet again soon.

HB 1615: The Georgia Water Coalition had a great victory on March 12 on HB 1615 - the interbasin transfer bill. Thank you to all of you who took action on this bill! The bill passed with two amendments, both of which are great and are the only reasons the Coalition supported the bill passage. The first amendment, put forth by Representative Debbie Buckner, says that the exemptions in the bill for the Metro North Georgia Water Planning District and the Savannah area expire upon the approval of a statewide water plan. The intent of this amendment is to allow the planners to take into consideration existing and future IBTs within the Metro District and on the coast as they develop the statewide plan. The second amendment, introduced by Rep. Chip Rogers, says that there can be no additional interbasin transfers from the Etowah basin after July 1, 2004. This calls into question the interbasin transfers from the Etowah that are planned for the Metro District. To view the votes on HB 1615, click here: http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2003_04/sum/hb1615.htm.

SB 571: Sponsored by Sen. Don Cheeks, SB 571 is the second bill to attack stream buffers. The Georgia Water Coalition is opposed to this bill because it exempts "drainage ditches" from the stream buffer requirements, and it gives variance power to local issuing authorities. These “drainage ditches” should not be exempt from the buffer requirements, because the buffers of these streams play an integral role in the water systems of Georgia by acting as primary filters for stormwater runoff. By removing the buffers, this bill would also make it much easier to pipe and pave such streams, which could result in flooding downstream. And local issuing authorities should not be given the authority to grant variances, because this would increase the administrative burden on local governments and it is unlikely that local governments would apply the criteria uniformly across the state. The bill received a DO PASS recommendation from the Senate Natural Resources & Environment Committee and may be headed to the Senate floor for a vote. To view SB 571, click here: http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2003_04/sum/sb571.htm.

For more details about Georgia Water Coalition, visit www.georigawater.org.

2. Nominations Invited for American Land Conservation Awards

Deadline: July 21, 2004 - The Catto Charitable Foundation established the American

Land Conservation Award in 1996 to recognize outstanding volunteer leadership in land and water conservation. The award's $50,000 prize is administered by the Conservation Fund (http://www.conservationfund.org/). The award honors a citizen conservationist for his or her outstanding individual leadership and distinguished service to preserving and protecting the nation's natural and historic resources for the benefit of their communities and future generations. Recipients of the award are recognized for building partnerships that lead to the preservation of open space, wildlife habitat, and sites that preserve a sense of place. Recipients are honored for their work to protect coastlines, river corridors, forest lands, farmland, rangeland, and historic sites. Applications may be submitted from January 1 to July 21. For further information, see the Conservation Fund Website at http://www.conservationfund.org/?article=2187.

3. Group Spotlight – Save Our Satilla

A full write up on this organization will be found in the next issue of Confluence.

Article and information thanks to Gloria Taylor, Executive Director of Save Our Satilla.

Save Our Satilla started in 2002 and now has over one hundred members! We are affiliated with the Georgia Water Coalition, the Georgia River Network, American Rivers and Adopt-A-Stream/Rivers Alive. We are working on a number of fronts to ensure that a large-scale titanium mining operation will not adversely impact the Satilla River watershed. In February 2003, SOS, along with, the Altamaha Riverkeeper, Center for a Sustainable Coast and the Sierra Club, challenged permits issued by the state of Georgia to the Australian-based mining company TE Consolidated, LLC (TE Consolidated) to mine for titanium on a 6,841.88 acre tract of land in Brantley County, GA. In 2003, we entered into a settlement agreement with the company that made significant changes in the mining process; flood control, buffers, planting agreements and rights for our inspections, that we hope will restore the land to better than timbered condition. In addition to challenging the state permits, we, along with the National Wildlife Federation, Altamaha Riverkeeper, and Center for a Sustainable Coast, have raised concerns about the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ determination that more than 300 acres of wetlands on TE Consolidated’s proposed mining site are “isolated” and not protected under the federal Clean Water Act. In response to our concerns, the company has asked to the Corps to re-evaluate its wetlands determination, and we have submitted comments to the Corps explaining our position that all of the wetlands on the site are protected by the Clean Water Act. We owe major thanks to Don Stack &Associates and the Southern Environmental Law Center for representing us. We have sponsored two successful clean ups, held one class on monitoring the river, signed petitions and worked to have 5 (and counting) resolutions from local and municipal governments passed, to prevent our water rights from being privatized and to ask the state to get a comprehensive statewide water plan. We have 15 junior members and have been educating children about litter and cleaning up pollution that runs into our rivers. We have been to countless workshops, conferences and have made our voices heard to many of our state and federal legislators. We are sponsoring the start up of a Satilla RiverWatch Alliance and hope to have that news soon. To contact SOS: Gloria Taylor gtaylor-sos@msn.com 912-778-4021.

4. March DNR Board Meetings – updates thanks to GEC

March’s DNR Board meetings are as follows: The Committee meeting will occur on Tuesday, March 23, beginning at 1 p.m. The meeting of the whole is Wednesday, March 24, beginning at 10 a.m. Both will take place in the DNR Board Room, Suite 1252, East Tower, 2 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., Atlanta. All regularly scheduled DNR Board meetings again this year will take place in the Board Room in an effort to hold down costs. The North Georgia Mountains Authority meets as needed at 11 a.m. on Tuesday.

Tuesday, March 23, 2004

11:00 a.m.
Parks, Recreation, & Historic Sites Committee
Sara Clark, Chairman
Vision and Mission Statements
Short and Long Term Priorities
Functional Organizational Chart

1:00 p.m.
Strategic Planning Committee
Ralph Callaway, Chairman
Action on Directions for the Decade: A New DNR Strategic Planning Initiative

Wildlife Resources Committee
Raybon Anderson, Chairman
Action on proposed amendments to Hunting Regulations, Chapter 391-4-2-47 Mourning Doves; and Chapter 391-4-2-62 Alligators
Action on resolution commending the Wild Turkey Federation for their support of DNR in the conservation of the wild turkey and preservation of the hunting tradition

Legislative Committee
Jim Tysinger, Chairman
Discussion on status of Legislation

Wednesday, March 24, 2004

10:00 a.m.
Board of Natural Resources

Approval of Minutes
January 28, 2004 Board of Natural Resources

Commissioner's Report
Staff Recognition
Approval of Qualifications & Salary Range for New P2AD Director
Update on Budget & Legislative Matters
2003 Year-end Review Summary
Monthly Expenditure Report
Division Monthly Reports

Strategic Planning Committee
Ralph Callaway, Chairman
Action on Directions for the Decade: A new DNR Strategic Planning Initiative

Wildlife Resources Committee
Raybon Anderson, Chairman
Action on proposed amendments to the Hunting Regulations, Chapter 391-4-2-47 Mourning Doves; and Chapter 391-4-2-62 Alligators
Action on resolution commending the Wild Turkey Federation for their support of DNR in the conservation of the wild turkey and preservation of the hunting tradition

Coastal Committee
Tom Wheeler, Chairman
Status Report on Marsh Hammocks issue

5. Workshop - Sierra Club/Georgia Conservation Voters Ed. Fund

The Georgia Chapter of the Sierra Club is teaming with Georgia Conservation
Voters Education Fund to provide citizens with the skills to elect pro-environment
candidates. Whether you are a Democrat, Republican, Independent or Green party supporter the training will take the mystery out of campaign work. It will cover specific skills like phone banking, yard sign distribution, voter targeting, canvassing and many other skills you can use to help elect a candidate. The workshops are free and open to Sierra Club members and members of other environmental organizations. Find out more about GCV at www.protectgeorgia.org. To sign up, contact the Sierra Club office at 404 607-1262 x221.

Athens/Clarke central library March 27, 12noon-6pm
Roswell Area Park April 3, 10am-3pm
Savannah-Coastal Georgia Center, April 17, 10-3
Intown Atlanta-Epworth UMC, April 24, 10-3
Macon-May 1, site TBD

6. Georgia Water Wise Council Workshop – Water Conservation / Xeriscape
The Georgia Water Wise Council is having an excellent day of workshops on water conservation at the Xeriscape Demonstration Garden of the Bamboo Garden in Savannah on March 26, beginning at 11 AM. Topics include information on the six necessary components to make your water conservation program successful. This workshop is based upon two years of research. Water efficiency strategies for hotels, industries and institutions will illustrate money saving success stories and strategies. Other topics include Savannah's water resources and their rainfall shutoff device program, and landscape irrigation auditing. Pre-registration is required. There will be no walk-ins. Space is limited. With the registration fee for non-members you will become a member of GWWC, as well as GWPCA. Lunch is included. The Savannah Tour of homes is the same weekend, so you can stay and have fun. You can register online at www.gwpca.org. For more information go to www.gwwc.org.

7. Lead Acid Battery Recycling Program – Thanks to GEC for this news.
Help get the word out about a lead-acid battery recycling program – the 2004 Great Battery Roundup – sponsored by the AAA Auto Club South from April 17 through 24 in conjunction with Earth Day throughout Georgia. Lead-acid batteries are found in cars and trucks, motorcycles, lawnmowers, boats and personal watercraft. Batteries can be dropped off at three AAA Auto Club South branch offices in Georgia during the program or at participating NAPA Auto Parts stores throughout the state. It’s a painless way to raise awareness about the importance of keeping lead and other highly toxic components out of the environment and to support GEC since the Auto Club will donate $1.50 from each collected battery to GEC.

April 20, Tucker, 2200 Northlake Parkway, Suite 129
April 21, Morrow/Southlake area, 1500 Mt. Zion Road, Suite 205
April 22, Savannah, 712 Mall Boulevard
Participating NAPA Auto Parts stores also will accept dead lead acid batteries during normal business hours from April 17 – 24. Call your local store for more details. For details about AAA Auto Club South’s program to round up stray lead acid batteries, email Chassell@mindspring.com or call 770-945-3111 for information.

8. Workshop on How to Use the Internet to Attract Donors

The ePhilanthropy Foundation is holding a half-day seminar in Atlanta on April 14th, entitled "Building Community and Attracting Philanthropic Support Using the Internet." For more information, call 877-536-1245 or see http://ephilanthropy.org/eTour.

9. GEO College Summit - March 26-28th, 2004

This is the only statewide forum for environmentally interested students and teachers to come together and network ideas around what they are doing on their campuses, listen to informative guest speakers, attend workshops and educational field trips. Participants can enjoy the pond, wetlands, riverfront and heavily forested property here at GEO headquarters, the Frank Robinson Memorial Preserve. GEO is located in Southern Cobb County, 15 minutes drive from downtown Atlanta, GA. We have taken the student feedback and included less lectures this year and more free time to explore and attend learning workshops about herbs, wetlands, water quality, and forest ecology. We will also provide a fieldtrip on Friday, March 26th to explore the Chattahoochee Watershed. This year we have added the opportunity to climb a tree with the renown Tree Climbers International. The founder of the group, Peter Jenkins, was recently featured on Turner Broadcastings program The Natural South. Peter is a certified arborist and an expert tree climber. He has trained naturalists who study the upper canopy in the rainforests to safely climb up and down massive trees. Speakers at the 2004 College Summit will be: Brooke Brandenburg of the Sierra Club, Gordon Dravies of Georgians Against Smoking Pollution, Rob Del Bueno of Vegenergy, Julie Stewart and Sam Collier of League of Conservation Voters, and Trey Gibbs of GEO. The closing presentation will take place at Georgia State University when Ralph Nader will speak about Nuclear issues, Energy policy, Air Quality and Water Quality as they pertain to Georgia. There will be musical entertainment on Saturday March 28th, 2004 free for participants. Cost for the weekend is $40 per person and includes all meals for the weekend (2 dinners, 2 lunches, and 2 breakfasts), attendance for the conference, free admission to Ralph Nader's keynote address at Georgia State University, and the option for camping on the property all weekend. Additional fieldtrips are available to go rafting on the Chattahoochee River for a Water Quality Workshop that discusses the sustainability of local drinking water supplies from surface waters ($25), and a tree climbing field trip with the renown Tree Climbers International who will take you into the canopy of our forest ($15). If you would like to sign up for the entire conference and both fieldtrips you may receive a $15 discount and pay only $65 if you preregister before March 22nd. 404-605-0000, www.gaenv.org.

10. 2004 Clean Water Campaign Workshops and Events
Clean Water Campaign is offering several workshops in the upcoming months around the state on topics including Rain Gardens, Automobile Service (for Municipal Fleet Service Technicians, Automobile Service Shop Owners, Service Managers and Technicians), Xeriscape, and Integrated Pest Management. Visit www.cleanwatercampaign to view the schedule.

11. Sign Up for GEAN
Are you looking for an easy way to tell your elected officials and those in charge of enforcing environmental regulations that they can do better to protect the environment? Then sign up for GEAN, the Georgia Environmental Action Network, and get your message into the hands of decision-makers. You can sign up at this web address: http://actionnetwork.org/gean/join.html.

12. Find out who your elected officials are.

http://www.sos.state.ga.us/cgi-bin/locator.asp

Georgia General Assembly Official Website
http://www.legis.state.ga.us/

13. IRS Publishes New Guides for Non-Profits

The IRS recently issued two new brochures to assist 501(c)(3), non-profit organizations with tax issues. One explains how to obtain tax exemption, and the other is a compliance guide that explains record keeping, return filing and disclosure rules. To obtain the guides electronically, visit http://www.irs.gov/charities/index.html and click on "IRS Issues new guides for charitable organizations."

14. Sierra Club Releases Fact Sheets

Sierra Club recently completed two new fact sheets which address water pollution issues. The first one looks at mercury pollution in fish and can be viewed at http://www.sierraclub.com/cleanair/mercury/factsheets/

The second one deals with sanitary sewer overflows and will be available on http://www.sierraclub.com/cleanwater/reports_factsheets/ .

15. Birds Need Clean Water Too! Bird-A-Thon to benefit Georgia River Network
When It Is: April 26th, 2004
What It Is: Naturalist Chris Skelton and several companions will set out on a 24 hour trek to see as many birds as they can within the state of Georgia.

Where It Is: The journey will begin north of Athens just after midnight. The group will traverse west towards Cartersville, drop down to Kennesaw Mountain, pass quickly through Macon, and then race for the coast. Last year Chris and his companions saw 135 different species. This year they hope to see 150.
Why We Do It: FUN! Also, Chris and Georgia River Network hope you will support clean water in Georgia by making and getting pledges. Georgia River Network is a statewide environmental non-profit solely dedicated to the conservation of Georgia’s waters. For a pledge of $25 or more, you will receive a one year membership to Georgia River Network.
Sign Up: Visit www.garivers.org for a pledge form or call Georgia River Network at 706/549-4508.

16. Fundraising Deadlines
The following foundations are either new to our list of grants or have upcoming deadlines to submit proposals. To view grantmakers that give throughout the year, visit our website at www.garivers.org and click on Grants.

Corcoran Education Grant
The North American Native Fishes Association (NANFA) is accepting

applications for its 2004 Corcoran Education Grant. The Corcoran

Education Grant is awarded in amounts up to $1000 for projects that

promote education and awareness of native fishes. Previously funded projects include: A streamside interpretive sign explaining riparian zone functions and depicting local fishes (2000); Field survey and museum program conducted by teenagers (2001); Videographic studies of desert fishes by high school students (2001); field surveys and promotional posters of stream fishes (2002); Native fish display/work materials for a nature center (2003); Deadline for applications is 31 March 2004. Funds are provided by 01 Jun, 2004 so that projects may begin during the next academic year. Information on the Corcoran Grant can be found at: http://www.nanfa.org/conservation.htm>http://www.nanfa.org/conservation.htm

Captain Planet Foundation provides grants to organizations that promote an understanding of the environment and involve youth ages 6-18. Grants range from $250 - $2,500. Deadlines for submitting grant applications are March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31. Click here to learn about Captain Planet Foundation guidelines.

The Fund for Southern Communities is a publicly supported foundation established in 1981 to provide grants and technical assistance to progressive grassroots social change organizations working in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. The Fund invites applications from organizations fighting discrimination based on race, sex, age, religion, economic status, sexual orientation, ethnic background, or physical and mental disabilities; struggling for the rights of workers; promoting self-determination in low-income and disenfranchised communities; protecting the environment; promoting and/or creating non-traditional arts and media; promoting peace. Regular grant deadlines are April 1 and October 1. Further information is available at the foundation’s website www.fund4south.org.

Patagonia funds projects that are action oriented, build public support and involvement, are strategic and accomplish specific goals and objectives. Patagonia supports small, grassroots activist organizations with provocative direct-action agendas. They look for innovative groups that produce measurable results, and like to support efforts to force the government to abide by its own - our own - laws. Patagonia helps local groups working to protect local habitat. Most grants are in the range of $3,000 to $8,000. Proposals must be postmarked no later than April 30 and August 31 each year. For more information, visit http://www.patagonia.com/enviro/enviro_grants.shtml.

RiverSmart Grants Using funds provided by the EPA, River Network, will be making a limited number of small grants (up to $5,000) to help river and watershed organizations implement the RiverSmart campaign (www.riversmart.org) in their local communities. Using mass media tools, the RiverSmart campaign gives audiences some simple things they can do in and around their homes to help protect the health of their local rivers. River and watershed groups can attach their own name and logo to the RiverSmart TV, radio and print ads and use the campaign to raise their organizational profile as well as to educate community members. If you are interested, please review the campaign materials and messages at our website (go to www.riversmart.org, click on "Newsroom") and contact Glin Varco, RiverSmart Coordinator, at gvarco@rivernetwork.org or 503.542.8393. Note: All RiverSmart grant proposals must be received by March 25, 2004.

USFWS - Technical and Financial Assistance Available for Watershed Protection Efforts in Coastal Ecosystems The U.S. Department of Interior and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are offering technical and financial assistance to coastal communities for 2004 through its Coastal Program. The Coastal Program partners with coastal communities to improve the health of their specific watersheds benefiting fish, wildlife and the community. Individual coastal programs have varying deadlines. For more information, click on the following URL: http://www.fws.gov/cep/grantgovcoastal.pdf.

Join Georgia River Network
If you find news stream and other information and services provided by Georgia River Network useful, we would appreciate your financial support! Visit www.garivers.org and join today!

Subscribe/ Unsubscribe: If you would like to be added or removed from the NewsStream email list or Action Alert list, please send an email to info@garivers.org and specify which list you would like to add or remove.

Dana Skelton
Director of Administration and Outreach
Georgia River Network
1090 S. Milledge Avenue
Athens, GA 30605
Voice: 706-549-4508
Fax: 706-549-7791
www.garivers.org