Friday, August 14, 2009
News State lawmaker all agog about reservoirs
Posted by Thomas Wheatley @thomaswheatley on Fri, Aug 14, 2009 at 8:52 PM
Oh, state Sen. Chip Pearson, you do not disappoint, sir!
The Republican lawmaker from Dawsonville — whom we've lovingly nicknamed "Dirty Sanchez" — is the Gold Dome's biggest cheerleader of reservoirs and always open to revisiting some of those pesky environmental laws that get in the way of economic development and jobs, jobs, jobs.
Every year he seems to offer one bad legislative idea after the other, and every year we recognize him for his efforts with a Golden Sleaze Award. It's like clockwork, people!
He didn't disappoint us today. In a Dawson Times editorial, Pearson says the state needs a "MacArthur Plan for Georgia's water future."
Does it involve more conservation, which environmental advocates say is the cheapest and easiest measure and offers the biggest bang for the buck when it comes to reducing demand on metro Atlanta's fragile water supply?
Nope! Pearson says we need to dig holes. Lots and lots of holes.
From the lawmaker's opus:
Every corner of the state is a potential place for water storage. To the north, a reservoir on public and private property, as well as Chattahoochee National Forest land, could supplement water inflow to Lanier, maintain adequate water levels and provide direct access to drinking water (as described in SR 107). There are also many appropriate sites in North Georgia that could afford large regional reservoirs. We can tap into the aquifers throughout South Georgia and use the Oconee National Forest for more storage. Finally, let’s not overlook the Georgia coast and opportunities to build desalination plants potentially co-located with power generation, as it has been successfully done in other states.
And then there's this gem: "The time for talk and study is over. The time for action is now. The question is, do we have the resolve?"
The better question is: do we have the cash? Reservoirs are a part of the puzzle, sure, but they're also some expensive sons of guns. (And on a somewhat related note, wasn't it former U.S. Secretary of State George Marshall who had an eponymous "plan?")
(Courtesy Senate Press Office)
Comments (12)
Showing 1-12 of 12
MacArthur or Marshall? What's the diff? It's just a name. Chit Person obviously has put all his brainpower behind this idea.
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Kasim wants to dig water holes, too. He tells us this in his secret video chat to "Campaign for Atlanta" (viewed by a whopping 80 or so people when I looked at it). For all I know, the other mayoral hopefuls ditto that, but I lack the stamina to listen to the others drone on at the CFA videocam.
First you bash his plan, then you say that it's part of the puzzle...which is it? Regional reservoirs is an idea that been around for decades, but no one has acted on it. Although I do remeber about 10 years ago that Speaker Murphy family members were buying up land in areas that planned for future resevoirs. And sure, conservation is part of the puzzle too..but get this, the less water we use, the less money water authorities/companies make. So what do they do? Increase the price of water to make up for the loss in profit. Good grief, I understand the greater good of conserving resources, but in the end, we're not saving ourselves any money. I'm just glad he didn't name it the McCarthy Plan...whew ;)
Very true, rule .303. It's a given the state will need additional reservoirs. And why state leaders have repeatedly kicked the problem down the road is a question no one's been able to answer. The problem with digging hundreds of reservoirs around Georgia is that they simply store water — they don't create water. Some source has to fill them. You and I both know that. But from some of the off-the-cuff remarks you hear from elected officials, you'd think reservoirs were the magical solutions to all our problems. I was making a point that the state and region needs to consider all options. Cobb Chairman Sam Olens made a great point at a recent Council for Quality Growth meeting that the region needs to look at reuse ("It's not a bad word in Europe, and it shouldn't be a bad word here"), abandoned quarries, etc. The cheapest solutions just might be putting to use what the state already has. And re: Pearson...I was poking fun at his well-known zeal for building reservoirs. Now if you excuse me, I gotta go work on my MacArthur Plan.
Oops. "MacArthur Tan." And I apologize if my reply sounded mean-spirited or combative toward you, rule. That wasn't my intention. Damn Internet is tone deaf.
Thomas, thanks for clarifying and good points all around. Also, I did not take your response as negative in tone. Trust me, I'm a veteran of PeachPundit. But lately, I've enjoyed Fresh Loaf much more as far as policy is concerned. As a moderate Republican from New England, there's just no place in this state for me - I get beat up from all sides :(
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