Fulton and DeKalb Soil Conservation on Shaky Ground

by Alan Toney

The City of Atlanta did not follow through on its promise to hire more inspectors, and left the Soil & Water District with no choice but to revoke Atlanta's Memorandum of Agreement.  The City of Atlanta offered to make changes to their soil and water conservation program in the final moments before their memorandum of agreement was revoked.  They were going to hire 8 inspectors and reorganize how they inspect building sites.  Amazingly the city government does not seem to care. The decision had come from the Mayor's office.  The next step is to ask EPD to de-certify the city as an issuing authority.  Please continue to report any site where bare earth is exposed to the weather without proper erosion control containment procedures in place.  For the city, call Douglas Wiggins 404-330-6861, for Fulton County call 404-730-TELL.  Also always let the Fulton County Soil and Water district know (770-761-3020).

DeKalb County still has a long way to go too.  The county still seems resistant to enforcing erosion and sedimentation law.  The DeKalb County Soil and Water District is going to start reviewing stream buffer variance requests.  This means that anytime a developer wants to disturb the land within the 25 feet stream buffer he is going to have to explain it to the Soil and Water District, not just the County.

Citizens of DeKalb County might want to call their county government and voice their support for what the Soil and Water District is trying to accomplish.  They deserve your support.

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Last updated: 30 Nov 99