Georgia's environment, 99

NEVORIRGOIAN'SMENT 99
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DIVISION

CONTENTS
Environmental Indicators Air .... ... .. ....................... ... .... .. ..... .. ......... four Sustainable water supply................... ... .. ten Surface water ....... .............................. fifteen
Environmental Cleanups Hazardous sites ....... ......................twenty one Underground storage tanks ............ twenty two Solid waste disposal sites ....... ... .twenty three
Beyond Regulation
......................... ..... ...... ... ...... twenty four
Looking Ahead
........... ... ... .... .. .... ... .... .... ...... twenty eight

Environmental Protection Division

205 BUTLER STREET SE SUITE 1152 ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30334

www.state.ga. us/d nr/e nviron

1-888-373-5947

Cov er Photograph- courtesy of Georgia Department of Industry Trade and Tourism

PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER

EPO~s MISSION
We help provide Georgia's citizens clean air, clean water, hea lthy lives and productive land by assur in g comp li ance
with environmental laws and by assisting others to do their part for a better env ironment.
EPO~s VISION

Water and air throughout Georgia are clean, all land is productive, al l citizens and native spec ie s
are safe from environmenta l harm .

Governments, businesses and individuals faithfu ll y exceed the requirements of env ironmenta l laws .

All citizens understand the environment and do their part to improve it.

As Georgia grows, its land , air and water resources are managed carefu ll y for sustained prosperity

EPD's staff are motivated and empowered to use sk ill , common se nse and fa irness to protect,
susta in and be stewards of Georgia's env ironment.

EPD's workforce is strategically located to maximize effectiveness and to involve communities in susta ining a high quality environment.

EPD helps assure that growth is managed in ways that susta in air, water and land resources.

STRTEMENT
This is our third yearly report on the health of Georgia's environment. I am pleased to see improvement, yet the challenges we face are serious. The individual s and facilities regulated by EPD have done a good job achieving and maintaining compliance with environmental requirement s. EPD will continue our enforcement programs against those who do not. In 1998, EPD is sued 647 enforcement orders collecting $5.5 million in penalties. Environmental protection, however, is far more than enforcement. Our greatest environmental challenges can only be so lved by changing the behavior of individual s. Our water protection problems stem primarily from nonpoint source pollution, which comes from rainfall running off our roof tops, yards, driveways, street s, businesses, construction sites, and farms. In our metropolitan areas, the air we breathe is affected by the automobiles we drive more than by emissions from indu stry. Besides protection of our air and surface water resources, EPD has placed a high priority on cleaning up land and ground water contaminated by sp ill s, unlined landfills, poorly operated industrial sites and leaking underground storage tanks. We are making progress as indicated in this report. EPD will continually expand our existing programs and venture into new areas in order to protect our environment. Some of these changes will be through regulation and will have significant costs. Many will be through voluntary programs, also with costs. We intend for Georgia's environment to improve each year as a result of the continuing efforts by Georgia's citizens, businesses, local governments, and EPD.
~ewJl ~
Harold F. Reheis

Indicators
AIR SUSTAINABLE WATER SUPPLY SURFACE WATER
three

INDICATORS
Georgia has adopted national ambient air quality standards for six pollutants to protect public health and welfare. Those pollutants are carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide , particulate matter, su lfur dioxide and ozone. A statew ide sampling network monitors the concentration of these pollutants. Monitoring trends are assessed for compliance with air quality standards.
The 13-county Atlanta metropolitan area has been declared a "serious" nonattainment area for ground level ozone . The nonattainment area includes Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKa lb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Paulding and Rockdale counties. To achieve attainment, the average number of days above the standard must be equal to or le ss than one for three consecutive years. The number of exceedance days in the ozone nonattainment area is an indicator of our progress toward achieving that goal.
four

Sulfur Dioxide
Standard= 0.14
0.14

0.12

C
0 0.10

:E
;

0.08

Cl.. 0.06
t": '

"'Cl.. 0.04

0.02

--- """ 1, ~ ~

- - "-

0.00 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 9S 96 97 98

Year

Carbon Monoxide

Standard=9.0
9.0

C 7.5
.5!
:E
; 6.0
Cl..
t": '
"'Cl.. 4.5

-'....' l ' - \ I f 1,..-
' ~\

3.0 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98

Year

Lead

Standard= 1.5

1.5

...
-;Cl) 1.2

.=,
:..=c,; 0.9
u,

= 0.6
."eC,', 0.3

:E

t::,..

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~

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~~

0.0 8S 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98

Year

RESULTS
The overall quality of Georgia's air is good. In 1998, Georgia's air met national standards for concentrations of all pollutants except ozone. The graphs on this page chart annual averages since the mid-1980's for carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter and sulfur dioxide. Air quality is either stable or getting better for those pollutants.

Nitrogen Dioxide
Standard = .050
0.05

0.04
,gC

:E 0.03

;

Cl..
t": '

0.02

I;"'"

I"""'

~

"'Cl..

0.01

0.00 BS 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 9S 96 97 98 Year

Particulate Matter-11
so S..ta-n.d-a-r.d,=..5.0..,....-i-_ _ _.,....,..._,.....,..'""I

87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 Year
The Particulate Matter standard shown in the graph above is based on particles 10 micrometers or smaller. The Federal Clean Air Act requires the US Environmental Protection Agency to review national standard s every five years to determine if they adequately protect public health. A new standard for particulate matter was established in 1997, based on particle s 2.5 micrometers or smaller (the human hair is about 70 micrometers in diameter) Research has shown the smaller particles are inhaled deeper into the lung s and cau se adverse health effects. EPD began sampling for thi s pollutant in 1999.
five
1

The number of days with violations of the ozone standard in the Atlanta nonattainment area increased from previous years during the 1998 ozone season (May-September). The yellow line on the graph below charts the number of days Atlanta air exceeded the one-hour ozone standard (0.12 parts per million) for each year beginning in 1980. During the 1998 ozone seaso n, metro Atlanta exceeded the standard on 22 days -- twice as many days as in 1997 . Extremely hot dry weather conditions contributed to this increase .

WHHT IS OZONE?
Ozone is a gas that cons ists of three atoms of oxygen. It can be both beneficial and harmful, depending on where it is lo cated in the atmosphere. In the stratosphere (six miles above the earth), ozone is beneficial -- it shields the earth from ultraviolet ray s. Ground level ozone, however, is a pollutant which can be harmful to people, plants and variou s material s.

Atlanta Metro Area Ozone
30,------------------~

Q) -0

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0

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.0 -0
.... <t: ~ (/)

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co '-

Cl ::::,

-+-::z0 :
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0'---------------------l 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98
Vear

Ozone is not emitted directly by any source . It is formed in warm weather by a chemical reaction of two groups of chemica ls: Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) and Nitrog en Oxides (NOX).

The blue line on the graph below plots the ma xi mum hourly concentration reported for the 13 county metropolitan area since 1980. The maximum hourly ozone concentration in 1998 occurred on July 20 and measured 0.166 parts per million .

Ozone Concentration

Standard= 0 12

0.20

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0.18 0.16 0.14 0.12 0.10

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=- II,

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Concentration

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1 Hour Standard

for Ground Level

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en

0.08

Ozone

t:
n,

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c.. 0.04

0.02

0.00 80 81 82 83 84 8S 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 9S 96 97 98

Vear

six

SMOG ALERTS
Each afternoon during ozone season, scientists from the EPD and the Georgia Institute of Technology meet in a cyber-space "chat room" to review weather data and predict whether conditions will be right for ozone formation during the next day If the scientists agree that high, unsafe ozone levels are likely for the next day, EPD issues a "Smog Alert". Smog Alert Days are announced via the news media, highway message signs and the internet. The announcements remind metro Atlantans to use their automobiles less and take other steps to reduce ozone. They also advise sensitive children and adults with respiratory illness to limit prolonged moderate exertion outdoors.
During the 1998 ozone season, EPD issued 35 Smog Alerts.
Information on Smog Alerts is available at www.ga-psg.org or by calling EPD at 404-363-7032.

REDUCING GROUND
LEVEL OZONE
Reducing ground level ozone requires controlling the chemicals that combine to form ozone. EPD's control programs in the 1980's were aimed at reducing VOC's from industries and cars. It helped, but the region's growth has offset those controls. We must now focus on limiting NOX to control ozone levels.
NOX comes from burning anything. The Atlanta area has a handful of large stationary sources (power plants), a few dozen small stationary sources (other industries), a few million on-road mobile sources (cars, trucks, buses), thousands of off-road mobile sources (heavy construction equipment, trains, planes), and millions of very small area sources (lawn equipment, hot water heaters, outboard motors, charcoal grills). Only 21 percent of NOX sources in the 13-county ozone nonattainment area can be controlled by permits issued by EPD (see NOX inventory below).

Stationary
NOX SOURCES IN 13-COUNTV AREA seven

IMPROVING RIR OURLITY-EPos RTTRINMENT PLRN

In April 1998, EPD proposed a lon g range plan to meet the one-hour standard for ground level ozone. Revisions to the plan were proposed in June, 1999, to target the large st contributors to the ozone problem and to consider every signifi cant emission source inside and outside the 13-county Atl anta area.
Vehicle Emi ssions In spect ion Program--The goal of the program is simp le: identify the vehicles that are the heavy polluters, and have them fixed. Und er the curre nt program, all gasoline powered, light duty vehicles from mode l year 1975 to present are tested every other year. Older model vehicles (1975 - 1992) are given a more stringent dynamometer test. In 1998, over 1.2 million vehicles were tested; approximately 10% failed their initial test, and owners had to make repairs and retest. The revised plan would require the more stringent test on an annual basis for all cars 1975 and newer beginning January 1, 2001 .
Georgia Gasoline--Beginning in May, 1999, only low su lfur gasoline is availab le during the summer in a 25 county area of northwest Georgia. Thi s low sulfur gaso line improves the performance of cata lyti c converters in automob ile s. EPD is proposing to require a gasoline which contains even lower sulfur content in at least 69 count ie s by the year 2003.

Nitrogen Oxide Reductions--Additional emissions controls for Georgia Power Company plants and tighter emissions controls for new and existing indu stries in a 47-county area in North Georgia are included in the revised plan. Pha sing out of on-site electricity generators used for peak shav ing is also proposed.
Partnersh ip for a Smog-free Georgia (formerly Voluntary Ozone Action Program)--This program encourages Atlanta motorists to drive le ss during ozone season, especially on those days forecasted by EPD to have high ozone concentrations. Th e number of vehicles on the roads and filling parking lots was reduced by 2-3% on ozone alert days during the summer of 1998. State agencies prepared and impl eme nted plans to reduce the number of single occu pancy trips made by State employees by 20% on ozone alert days during 1998 and daily during the entire season in 1999. Many local governments and businesses in metro Atlanta are also implementing effect ive programs to reduce their employees' driving.
EPD's revised plan shou ld result in atta inment of the one-hour standard for ground level ozone by the year 2003.

Dawsonville

A NEW OZONE STANDARD

0.085 ppm

The U.S. EPA has established a more stringent standard

;er

-Atlanta
0.113ppm

for ground level ozone. The one hour standard was based upon research that breathing volume decreased after 2-3 hours exposure to 0.12 parts per million of ozone. There is evidence that decreases in breathing function also occur after longer (6-7 hours) exposure

to lower levels . A national standard of 0.08 parts per

million over 8 hours was estab lished, averaged

Macon
0.100 ppm

over a three year period. Communities will have to attain the 8-hour standard in 2010 or earlier.

During the 1998 ozone season, metro

Atlanta would have exceeded the 8 hour

Leslie

standard on 60 days.

0.084 ppm

Results of statewide sampling in the

summer of 1998 are shown on the map

on this page. Atlanta, and other cities

in Georgia are likely to be designated

19.

nonattainment areas for the 8-hour standard.

3 YEAR AVERAGES OF 8 HOUR OZONE
MEASUREMENTS (PPM) AT GEORGIA MONITORING STATIONS

RECENT COURT RULING
A ru ling by the U.S. Court of Appeals in May, 1999, dealt with the revised eight-hour ozone standard. The eventua l outcome of that case may affect what metro Atlanta ha s to do after 2003, but does not affect the need for the co ntrol measures outlined on the previou s page . Metropo litan Atlanta residents must continue to work toward meeting th e one-hour sta ndard. Th e court ruling may affect the sc hedu le for control plans in other areas of Georgia which are not attaining the eight hour sta ndard .
nine

DRINHING WATER
INDICATORS
In Georgia, 2,610 public drinking water systems supply drinking water to 6.65 million persons (85 percent of the population). Private wells provide water to the rema ining 15 percent. Public drinking water systems are regulated by EPD; private wells are not. The percentage of customers receiving water from public water systems in compliance with established standards is an indicator of whether or not the water supplied by those systems is safe to drink.
RESULTS
The quality of water provided by public drinking water systems in Georgia is very good. From October 1, 1997 through September 30, 1998:
100% of persons on public drinking water systems received water in compliance with standards for nitrates.

100% of persons on public drinking water systems received water in compliance with standards for volatile organic compounds .
91.1 % of persons on public drinking water received water in compliance with standi3rds for le ad and copper. A total of 87 water systems serving 580,471 customers exceeded the lead and/or copper action levels. Of the 87 systems, 4 systems are in metro Atlanta, serving a population of 537,949. One of these systems, serving 453,000 people , modified their corrosion control treatment process and returned to compliance. The other systems are in the process of performing corrosion contro l studies so they can return to compliance .
More than 99.9% of persons on public drinking water received water in compliance with standards for asbestos. Only one system, serving 2,450 customers, exceeded the standard for asbestos. That water system is in the process of replacing the asbestos pipe in its distribution network.
More than 99 .9% of persons on public drinking water received water in compl ian ce with standards for fecal co liform bacteria . Eleven water systems serving 845 customers exceeded the standards for fecal coliform bacteria.

Salt Water Intrusion

Upper Fl orid an Aqui fe r, Glynn County Georgia

1,000

.

==ea,, 800 i--- t -- t---t-------11------1------+

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= ...
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600 t---t---t--- +-----1----1400 t---f-----t--+ 200

0

1980 1985 1990 1995 1996 1997 1998

GROUND WHTER

Ground Water Depletion
O Dougherty County, Clayton Aq uifer

Ground Level

INDICATORS

-Cl) (C,l))
i=f=~ 30 ,-r-r-r-r-r-+-+-+-+-~

Water users in the 24 counties of coastal Georgia obtain most of their water from the Upper Floridan Aquifer. Over time, extensive use has reduced water pressure in the aquifer. As a result, salt water contamination threatens

- Cl)

= 60 Cl) "Cl

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;: 90 ...I ...I
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120

150
1958 1962 1967 1972 1977 1982 1987 1992 1997 1998

ground water supplies in southeast Georgia, portions

of northeast Florida and southeast South Carolina .

Beginning in the 1960' s, chloride concentration s have been monitored from one well in Brunswick and two wells on Tybee Island , Georgia . The concentration of chloride in water from these well s indicates whether the problem is getting worse, has stabili zed, or is improving.

The upper graph, which shows chloride concentrations measured in the Brun swick monitoring well, reflects the salt water intru sion that occurs there . In 1998, chloride concentration s declined slightly with the annual mean concentration decreasing from 812 mg/ I

In southwest Georgia, ground water pumpage has

in 1997 to 778 mg/I.

caused water levels in the Clayton and Claiborne Aquifers to decline significantly. Long term mea surement of ground water levels in the Clayton and Claiborne Aquifers will show whether the decline ha s been halted, or ha s begun to improve .

The lower graph depicts water level s mea sured in feet below ground surface for a well drilled in the Clayton Aquifer in Dougherty County. The most signifi cant drop occurred after 1977 with the rapid growth of agricultural irrigation in southwest Georgia. The water

RESULTS

level ha s been relatively stable since 1981 . To maintain the viability of the Clayton Aquifer, EPD impo sed a

The two Tybee well s serve as an early warning system for Chatham County's water supply. Chloride concentrations in these two wells have remained relatively con stant since the 1960's and there wa s no significant change from 1997 to 1998. The se data

moratorium on new permits in the early 1990s (see map on next page) . In 1998, water level s dropped from 135.8 to 138.7 feet below ground level. This drop is attributed to the increa sed irrigation that took place in 1998 becau se of an agricultural drought.

continue to indicate that salt water ha s not yet reached

Chatham County.

eleven

PROTECTING THE UPPER f~ORIDRN ROUIFER

In April of 1997, an Interim Strategy was adopted to protect 24 counties in southeast Georgia from sa lt water intrusion . The plan establishes guidelines for ground water withdrawal and use in so uthea stern Georgia through December 31, 20 05, when a final plan will be in place.

Data gathering continued in 1998, with emphasis on drill ing monitoring wells, computer modeling , and better definition of su bsu rface geology and location of salt water intrusion. The se efforts are cr itical for the development of a final strategy based on so und science.

No new withdrawals are being permitted in all of Chatham and Glynn counties and parts of Effingham and Bryan counties without associated reduction s in water usage elsewhere within the county (see map).

In the other 20 counties, permits for new and increa se d withdrawals for municipal, indu strial and agricultural uses will be limited to a total of 36 million gallons per day (mgd). In 1998, EPD issued 20 agricultural permits for withdrawal of 2.4 mgd. Thi s amount was offset by modifi ca tions of four municipal and/or indu st rial permits, resulting in a net decrease of 0.2 mgd in permitted withdrawal s from the Floridan aq uifer for 1998. Since adoption of the strategy, new withdrawals totaling approximately 10 mgd have been permitted, leaving 26 mgd avail able for permitting in the 20 county area.

Reduction s in permitted withdrawal s by industry

created a water resource (0.5 mgd) to be available

for existing sma ller drinking water system s in

Chatham, Bryan and Effingham counties. Withdrawal s

usi ng 0.05 mgd of the resource have bee n permitted sinc e adopt ion of the strategy.
Each county in the 24 county area will develop a

-New withdrawals from wells in Upper Floridan Aquifer prohibited

comprehensive water supply plan. EPD will not

issue new permits for withdrawal from the upper Floridan Aquifer after December 31, 2000, to applicants in any county that does not have an approved

New permits for wells in the Upper Floridian Aquifer limited to 36 million gallons per day beyond April, 1997 levels

plan. Seventeen co untie s have begun work on

their plans.

New withdrawals from wells in Clayton Aquifer prohibited

WATER USAGE IN GEORGIA

Georgia's total water use increased 20 percent between 1990 and 1995. Public water supplies and household wells account for 47% of water used; agricultural and industrial uses account for 28% and 25% respectively.
Water use trends reflect strong water conservation programs by industries, significant population growth as evidenced by the increases in public supply and household wells, and significant increases in irrigated agriculture.

Water Use By Category
Public Supply Household Wells Agriculture Industrial Total

1970
564 59 63 932 1618

Million Gallons Per Day
1980 1990

718

963

138

141

605

487

826

701

'22.87

'22.92

1995
1153 147 767 675 2742

% Change
1990-1995
20 4 57 -4 20

INTERSTATE WATER NEGOTIATIONS

In late 1997 the Congress and the President of the United States established interstate water compacts between Georgia and Alabama for the Alabam a-CoosaTallapoo sa river system (ACT), and between Georgia, Alabama, and Florida for the ApalachicolaChattahoochee-Flint river system (ACF) . These river basins make up 38% of Georgia's total land area, provide drinking water to over 60 % of Georgia's population, and supply water for more than 35% of Georgia's irrigated agriculture.
Under the compacts, the three states will develop agreements for allocating and managing the waters of the two interstate river system s to meet water needs through the year 2050. The Compacts name the Governors of the three sta te s as Compact Commissioners, along with a Federal Commi ss ioner appointed by the Pre sident. The compacts required the Commissioners to reach agreements on water allocations by December 31, 1998.
In February, 1998, the Compact Commissioners co nducted initial meetings for both the ACT and the ACF river systems. Following these meetings, the principle s underlying each state 's approach to water allocation formula s were discus sed in a se rie s of public meetings. Begi nning in June, 1998, with Georgia's ACF Strawman pre se ntation, the three states sha red

their re spective plans for allocating and managing the river sys tems . Since June, each state ha s spent considerable time refining its own operational sc hemes, and evaluating those offered by fellow state s.
Proposal s and counter-proposals were shared through seven official ACT negotiating sess ion s, six official ACF negotiating sess ion s, and se veral technical di sc ussions. Although consensus was not reached, the negotiations have revealed areas of general agreement, as well as areas of marked disagreement. The state s are generally optimistic that, with additional time, agreements can be reached. Con sequent ly, the Commissioners agreed to extend the negotiations through De ce mber 31, 1999.
As negotiation s proceed in 1999, one of the more pres sing is sue s to be resolved in the ACT and the ACF water system s is management of federal re servoirs such as lakes Lanier, West Point, and Allatoona. Georgia 's position is that reservoir operating levels should preserve sufficient water supplies to meet hum an water needs at all time s, including severe droughts. Some changes in operation, from how the federal dams have traditionally been operated, will be needed if this objective is to be met.

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0
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-- -
S-urface Water- -='=---

INDICATORS
The quality of Georgia's surface waters is evaluated on whether or not they meet established water quality standards and support designated water uses. Rivers, lake s, streams and estuaries are monitored to assess compliance with standards .
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) tests fish for many chemica ls to determine whether fish can be safely consumed. Consumption guidance based on recommended meals per week or month is published annually in "Georgia's Freshwater & Saltwater Sport Fishing Regulations" and in "Guidelines for Eating Fish from Georgia's Waters".
Dissolved oxygen in streams and lake s is necessary to support the fish community and other aquatic life . Dissolved oxygen water quality standards have been established ranging from 4.0 to 6.0 mg/I dependent upon the stream classification and type of measurement. EPD evaluates data from 37 trend monitoring sites throughout the state. The percentage of samp le s showing violations of the dissolved oxygen standard is one of the most important indicators of water quality. Dissolved oxygen in streams is also significant ly related to streamflow and temperature.

RESULTS
EPD evaluates and publishes stream data every other year. In evaluating streams, EPD examines the water quality data and compares this with water quality standa rd s set for rivers and lake s. The standards for most Georgia streams are identical, with the exception of trout streams and recreational waters, which have more stringent standards. Th e standards have two sets of components, one for aquat ic life protection (oxygen and toxic metals) and one for human recreation (bacteria) . For each component, a stream
fully meets water quality standards if 90% or more of the data is within acceptable limits;
partially meets water quality standards if 75% to 90% of the data is within acceptable limits;
does not meet water quality standards if 74% or less is within acceptab le limits .
In addition, if fish in a river or lake contain chemicals which result in EPD advising the public not to eat the fish, that river or stream is deemed to partially meet water quality standards even if all water quality data is within acceptable limits.

fifteen

Aquatic Life Standards

River Basin
Altamaha Chattahoochee Coosa Flint Ochlockonee Ocmulgee Oconee Ogeechee St. Mary's Satilla Savannah Suwannee Tallapoosa Tennessee

Total River Miles
3,430 8,172 7,126 9,122 1,716 7,268 6,773 6,981 485 3,629 7,413 4,961 774 2,300

Assessed River Miles
81 740 820 603 50 871 441 125 9 135 392 376 51 91

% Assessed River Miles Meeting Water Quality Standards for Aquatic Life

Water Quality in Georgia 1996 1997 contains the most recent data on Georgia's water quality. Th e 1996-1997 water quality data show the following overall results:
8,573 of 70,150 miles of river s and stream s were assessed. Of those. 77 percent fully or partially met water quality stan dard s.
399,295 of 400,887 acres of lakes were assessed. Of those. 84 percent met or partially met water quality sta ndards.
All of Georgia's 855 square miles of estuaries were assessed. Of those. 54 percent met water quality standards.

Recreation Standards

River Basin
Alta ma ha Chattahoochee Coosa Flint Ochlockonee Ocmulgee Oconee Ogeechee St. Mary's Satilla Savannah Suwannee Tallapoosa Tennessee

Total River Miles
3,430 8,172 7,126 9,122 1,716 7,268 6,773 6,981 485 3,629 7,413 4,961 774 2,300

Assessed River Miles
23 849 446 577 19 469 451 29 0 56 125 71 95 312

% Assessed River Miles Meeting Water Quality Standards for Recreation
100 58 62
92 92

EPD also evaluated each of 14 river basins using the 1996-1997 data to determine the extent of achievement of water quality sta ndard s for recreation and for aquatic life . The charts on this page show the percent of river miles assessed which partially or fully met the two sta ndard s.

Violations Of Dissolved Oxygen Standard At Trend Monitoring Sites
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86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 9S 96 97 98

The recent positive history of healthy dissolved oxygen co ncentrations in Georgia's rivers co nti nu ed in 1997. This is a result of proper operation of industrial and municipal wastewater treatment facilities. In 1998, 35 trend monitoring stat ion s showed no dis solved oxygen violations and two (five percent) showed viol ations on 4 days. Low streamflow cond itions and high temperatures contributed to these violat ions .
Three con taminan ts (PCBs, ch lord ane and mercury) were detected in significant amounts in a few species of fish from some bodies of water. One lake (Hartwell) and fiv e river segments (in the Coosa, Etowah, Turtle, Buffalo and South Brunswick Riv ers) have PCB contamination and some fish from those segments shou ld not be consumed at al l. Guidance recommending reduced co nsumpt ion leve ls (m ea ls/mo nth or meals/week) has been issued for 24 lakes and 54 river or st ream segments . Fish from an additional eight lakes and 28 river or stream segments were tested and have no re stri ct ion s.

In addit ion, DNR has recommended no fish ing or sw immin g in Terry and Dupree Creeks (north of Tarras Causeway to 0.5 miles west of the confluence with the Back River) in the Brunswick area during an ongo ing cleanup to remove contaminated sediments.
In the ear ly 1990's, PCBs and ch lord ane caused most of the restrictions in Georgia. Manufacturing of these chemicals has been banned and their use is highly restricted, so co nc entrat ion s of those chemi ca ls in fish are slowly decreasing.
More restrictions are now due to mercury contaminat ion . Mercu ry is a naturally occurring eleme nt, and has likely always been present in fish in low concentrations. The amount of mercury in most fish in Georgia has rema ined fairly co nsta nt sin ce 1971.

a.11ll111111i1111!

Tennessee

River Basins of Georgia

Ochlockonee

Saint Mary's

RIVER BRSIN PLRNNING
There are 14 major drainage basins in Georgia containing 70,150 miles of rivers, streams and ditches. These basins are divided into 52 smaller watersheds.
River Basin Management Planning is the framework used by EPD to implement water protection programs across the state. Georgia adopted this approach to watershed protection in 1992 . This process includes programs addressing both water quantity and water quality issues and places the entire process on a five year cycle.

Basin planning cycle, basin plan outline, basin groupings, planning schedules, issue prioritization strategies, and stakeholder involvement strategies have been developed and implemented.
Management plans for the Chattahoochee, Flint, Coosa, Tallapoosa, and Oconee River Basins were adopted by the Board of Natural Resources in 1998. The Savannah and Ogeechee River Basin Management Plans are scheduled for completion in 2000, the St. Marys, Satilla, Suwannee, and Ochlockonee in 2001, the Ocmulgee, Altamaha, and Oconee (update) in 2002.

WATER OURLITY
IMPROVEMENTS
Although many streams and lakes are fully or partially meeting water quality standards. considerable work remains to improve water quality in Georgia.
In 85% of streams and 99 % of lakes found to need improvement. nonpoint sources of pollution are the cause of the problem. Nonpoint sources in clude runoff from our streets. agricultural practice s and land disturbing activ ities. One way Georgia, as well as over 30 other states. is dealing with nonpoint sources of pollution is by developing Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for streams that do not meet water quality standards . The total amount of pollution from point and nonpoint sources is determined for a particular stream. and the reductions necessary to meet water quality standards are identified. TMDL's for approximately 500 stream segments in Georgia will be developed . About 125 have been completed; the remainder will be developed over the next five years
The most important water quality que stion is "what specif ica lly needs to happen to impl ement TMDLs or. phrased another way, to achieve fu ll compliance with water quality standard s?" The answer is partly easy and partly unknown. For the few streams not meeting standard s as a re sult of wastewater treatment facilities. the answer is to improve the treatment efficiency of those facilitie s or to cease the discharge of treated wastewater into the stream by constructing land app li cation system s. Both methods have been successfully and widely use d in Georgia .

The spec ific answer for nonpoint source pollution is unknown . However, the approach to the answer is well underway and will take years to ach ieve. In urban/suburban areas, the approach consists of intensive water quality monitoring to determine sources of the polluted stormwater runoff. This is curre ntly in progress and being performed by numerous local governments. The next step is to identify and then implement the stormwa ter management practices to remove the pollutants or to prevent the pollutants from getting into the stormwater. These practices include street cleaning, litter control, stream buffer zones and stormwater retention ponds.
In agricultural areas, the approach is two-pronged . First. owners of concentrated feedlot operat ion s (cattle, hogs, poultry) will install better stormwater runoff and manure control systems. Second, crop farmers will implement the recommendations of the 1998 Clean Water Action Plan adopted by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U. S. Department of Agriculture. These recommendations focus on wiser use of fertilizers. improved land and soil management and stream buffer zones.

Haphazard storage and/or disposal of solid waste, hazardous waste, hazardous chemicals and petroleum products can result in contamination of our so il s, streams and ground water. Most contaminated sites in Georgia were unwittingly created before people knew that these practices cou ld cause such contaminat ion , before the development of technology to prevent contam ination and before laws were passed to protect the environment. EPD identifies these sites, determines the extent of cleanup needed to restore productive land and protect human health, and requires site cleanups. When the party responsible for the contam in ation is unable or unwilling to clean up the sit e, funds from one of three state trust funds may be used.

Cleanups
HAZARDOUS WASTE SITES UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANKS SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL SITES

TRUST FUND SUMMARY
The Hazardous Waste Trust Fund is supported by fee s on solid and hazardous wa stes, fees on release s of hazardous substances, and fine s collected under various state environmental laws. Since 1992, $43.6 million from the Hazardous Waste Trust Fund has been used to investigate and/or clean up 93 hazardous sites.
The Solid Waste Trust Fund is supported by fines collected under Georgia's Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Act and a $1 management fee collected on the retail sale of each new tire sold in Georgia . Since 1992, EPD has identified 455 illegal scrap tire

dumps. Solid Wa ste Tru st Funds have been used to clean up over 7.3 million tires at a cost of $8.5 million. In 1998, more than 1.5 million tires were removed and properly disposed.
The Underground Storage Tank (UST) Trust Fund is used to reimburse tank owners for cleanup costs caused by leaking petroleum tanks. Eligible owners make voluntary payments of 0.5 cents per gallon of petroleum product delivered to the tank. Since collections of fees began in 1988, $115 million have been committed to clean up 857 leaking UST sites in Georgia.

HRZRRDOUS WRSTE SITES

In 1992 the General Assembly passed the Hazardous Site Response Act giving EPD the authority to assure cleanup of hazardous waste sites. The law also requires EPD to alert the public of the existence of contaminated sites by publishing the Hazardous Site Inventory each year.
At the end of 1998, there were 411 sites on the Hazardous Site Inventory and the list is growing; 25 sites were added in 1998. Sites that were contaminated in the past are identified and screened to determined if the contamination is serious enough to add to the inventory. Sites are removed from the

inventory when cleanup is complete or when EPD determines that no cleanup is needed. Ten sites were removed in 1998.
At the close of 1998, cleanup was underway at 75% of the 411 sites on the inventory. 268 sites (including 146 owned by local governments) will be investigated and cleaned up using the Hazardous Waste Trust Fund. The others will be cleaned up by some other party (usually the site owner) under EPD's oversight.
Cleanup of Sites On The Hazardous Site Inventory

Georgia's Hazardous Site Inventory

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twenty one

WOOD TREATING WASTES REMOVED IN GLYNN COUNTY

The Brunswick Wood Preserving site provides a good example of how the Hazardou s Waste Trust Fund works for Georgia .
The site is an abandoned wood treatment facility that used a variety of cancer-causing chemicals including creosote, pentachlorophenol and chromated copper arsenate in its daily operations. Over a period of years, both so il and ground water were contaminated. Located in a neighborhood with both businesses and homes with private drinking water wells, it was placed on US EPA's National Priority Li st after a fire in 1991 .
As an interim clean up mea sure, U S. EPA's emergency responders stored contaminated soil on site in four temporary storage cells similar to above ground landfills . After evaluating the large quantity of contaminated so il and potential failure of the storage cells over time , EPD

decided the si tuation po sed significant ri sk to human health and the environment.
Between October 1996 and May 1998, EPD contractors removed more than 151,000 ton s of contaminated soi l from the storage ce ll s at a cost of $18.4 million. The soil was transported by truck and rail for disposal in ha zard ous wa ste landfills in South Carolina and Oklahoma. Money from the Hazardou s Wa ste Trust Fund was used to pay the cleanup costs.
The cleanup of this site involve s more than the temporary storage cells. Work is underway to determine what additional mea sures will be required to address remaining contamination of soil, stream bed and ground water. The remaining phases of cleanup will be funded under the Federal Superfund Act.

UNDERGROUND STORRGE TRNHS

All petroleum underground storage tanks (USTs) were required to meet specific spil l, overfi ll, and corro sion protection standards by December 22, 1998, or be closed. Fifty-seven percent of the 32,579 operational USTs in Georgia met those requirements . All of the 2,200 state owned USTs met the requirements.
Since 1988, 6,987 leaks from USTs have been reported in Georgia . Of these, 970 were reported in 1998. Mo st of the se releases were associated with older tanks installed before leak prevention standards were developed, and were discovered as owners were preparing for the 1998 upgrade dead line .
During 1998, cleanup was completed at 758 leaking UST si tes . Since 1988, cleanup at 3,052 sites has been completed, and 44 % of all leaking UST sites in Georgia have been cleaned up .

Status of Leaking

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At the end of 1998, cleanup wa s in progress but incomplete at 3,935 leaking UST sites.

SOLID WRSTE DISPOSAL SITES

As a result of more stringent design standards, solid waste disposal sites (landfills) have decreased in number and improved in quality. Of the landfills permitted since 1972, 222 are officially closed. An additional 85 sites have stopped accepting waste and are in the process of closing.
Georgia has 108 active solid waste landfills and one incinerator facility. The 108 solid waste landfills comprise 74 municipal solid waste landfills, 33 construction/demolition waste landfills and one commercial industrial solid waste landfill.
Liners have been required for new municipal solid waste disposal facilitie s in Georgia since 1992 . Today, there are 52 operating landfills with liners and leachate collection system s that receive 81 % of Georgia's municipal solid waste.
Disposal of Municipal Solid Waste In Lined Landfills

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Both operational and closed landfills are closely monitored by the owners to ensure the protection of ground water and other resources. There are 208 active and clo sed municipal solid waste landfills in Georgia that are conducting ground water monitoring. In 1998, 122 of the se reported violations of established ground water standards. The extent of contamination must be defined and the best method of cleanup selected before cleanup can begin. Sixteen facilities have cleanup underway. Removing contamination from ground water is a lengthy process, which is why none has been completed yet.

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Of the 214 active and closed municipal solid waste landfills conducting methane monitoring, 58 of these facilities have reported methane migration beyond the facility boundary. Since landfill gas (methane) can be explosive when it accumulates in confined spaces, corrective action must be implemented quickly. Actions to limit methane gas migration are underway at 75 contaminated sites. Corrective actions include using gas collection systems or vent systems which allow the non-toxic gas to disperse into the atmosphere or to be beneficially reused.

twenty three

Regulation
Protection of our environment is everyone's business . Individual s, families, business and government can all play a role in reducing the amount of waste we generate and the hazardous chemicals we use . While these reductions are not required by law, they go a long way toward reducing the threat of contamination. Some of our toughest environmenta l cha ll enges--ground level ozone and nonpoint source water pollution--must be met through a combination of regulatory actions and voluntary efforts. This section shows positive trends in the areas of hazardous waste reduction, releases of toxic chemicals and community involvement.

HAZARDOUS WASTE
REDUCTION
Although state and Federa l laws require generators of hazardous waste to create and update waste reduction plans, the laws do not mandate that actua l reductions must be ach ieved. Through vo luntary po llution prevention efforts by industries, businesses and governments the total amount of hazardous waste generated in Georgia has been reduced by 73 % since 1985.

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TOXICS RE~EASE INVENTORY

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Every year since 1988, the Georgia Env ironmenta l Protection Div ision has compi led information about the presence and release of specific toxic chemica ls in communities within Georg ia. This Tox ics Re lease Inventory (TR I) Report is intended to inform the pub lic about the presence of such re leases in the ir community and to all ow better response shou ld a chemica l accident occur.
The data prov ide a genera l ind icat ion of the types and quantities re leased for manufacturing faci li ties . These data cannot be used to make conc lus ions on env ironmenta l qua li ty or pub lic health threats, since they do not provide a mea surement of concentrations in the environment. Most of the releases reported are regulated by restrict ions placed in permits issued by EPD. Re leases are al lowed on ly in quantities which wi ll not degrade the env ironment.
Reports rece ived from 632 faci lities indicate a tota l of 66.6 mil li on pound s of certain chemicals were re leased to the air, land and water in 1997.

twenty five

GREENHOUSE GASES CLIMATE CHANGE

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Emissions to the air accounted for almost 70 % of all releases. The 1997 data indicate a 4.6 million pound increase from the data reported in 1996. Most of this increase was accounted for by increased land disposal and increased transfers of chemicals for off-site treatment. During the same period over 341 million pounds of chem icals were reported as reused or recycled.
An important factor in the increa se in reported releases is the strong state of Georgia's economy. Overall production by facilities is up, resulting in concurrent increases in releases. Overall releases are still less than 50% of those reported in 1988, the first year of reporting. The dramatic drop in releases experienced in the first years of the TRI are not expected now. The early reductions were attributable to rather simple changes in processes and housekeeping. Further reductions will require significant engineering changes which take time.

Scientific studies indicate that increasing emissions of carbon dioxide, methane and other gases are causing an increase of the earth's atmospheric temperature. This is causing changing weather patterns throughout the world. The U.S. government announced in 1996 that it supports future international negotiations that focus on realistic, verifiable and binding emission reduction goals for carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions, such as methane and nitrous oxide. An international agreement was signed in Kyoto, Japan in December, 1997, although America's participation in that agreement has not been ratified yet by Congress .
Carbon dioxide emissions (derived from the burning of coal, oil , and natural gas) contr ibuted about 84% of the overall US contribution of greenhouse ga s emissions in 1990. Roughly one-third of the carbon dioxide comes from electric power generation, one-third from transportation, one-fourth from industrial facilities and the rest from other commercial and residential sites . All of these categories are well represented in Georgia and other southern states.
EPD estimates that 3% of the nation's greenhouse gas emissions come from Georgia sources. A statewide greenhouse gas inventory has been developed, which itemizes the types and quantities of greenhouse gases which are emitted in Georgia. In Georgia, about 40% of the carbon dioxide em issions come from automobiles and 52% from industries (primarily electric utilities). The other 8% is from residential and commercial sources.
Energy conservation is an important so lution to clim ate change but is not a regulatory requirement. During 1999, EPD will analyze what kinds of non-regulatory programs can be pursued to help reduce greenhouse gases .

This student participates in an Adopt-A- Stream program estab li shed as a service project in memory of Ms. Carolyn Boyd Hatcher, former executive director of the Georgia Conservancy

COMMUNITY INVO~VEMENT

Education of Georgia citizens is critical to ensure responsible behavior towards our environment. The Adopt-A-Stream Program increases public awareness of local water resources and focuses on what individuals and communities can do to protect Georgia's water resources from nonpoint sources of pollution. Currently, more than 5,000 vo lunteers participate in over 200 individual and community Adopt-A-Stream programs. The EPD Adopt-A-Stream Program offers training and support in visual surveys, biological and chemical water quality monitoring, habitat assessments and river clean-ups.

Project Wet (Water Education for Teachers) is an interdisciplinary water science and education program that can be integrated into the existing education curricula of a school, museum, university pre-service class, or a community organization. To date, over 2,000 educators in Georgia have received certified Project WET training and are implementing the Project WET curriculum in classrooms statewide.

l twenty seven

Ahead r I

The Environmental Protection Divi sion is responsible for implementation of twenty state laws enacted over the past 35 years to protect Georgia's environmental resources. In addition, the responsibility for environmental programs under four Federal laws is delegated to EPD.
EPD will cont inue to carry out our regulatory role under these laws, focusing on the following three key environmental strategie s to be developed in 1999.
AIR QUALITY EPD will identify, in 1999, additional controls beyond those already in place to improve air quality in metropolitan Atlanta. A State Implementation Pl an (SIP) will be developed by October, 1999, which will spell out the details and sc hedule s of add itional air pollution controls for meeting the ozone standards in metro Atlanta by 2003 . The plan will include not only tighter controls inside the 13-county metropolitan area, but also new controls on power plants and certain industries, and cleaner fuels for automobiles throughout much of north Georgia. Emission sources outside the 13-county area contribute to the ozone problem, and they must be part of the so lution .
GROUND WATER USAGE Agricultural irrigation accounts for significant water use in Southwest Georgia. Mo st of this water is ground water pumped from the Floridan Aquifer. EPD has issued about 5,000 irrigation permits to farmers in this area. Recent studies indicate that this water usage ca n significantly reduce the amount of water in the Flint River between Albany and Lake Seminole in drought years. This is due to the fact that the Floridan Aquifer and the Flint River are interconnected. In 1999, EPD will develop a strategy to address this water use issue.

WATER QUALITY The water quality of the Chattahoochee in and downstream of metropolitan Atlanta ha s improved considerably over the la st three decades, thanks to new and expanded wastewater treatment facilities in the Atlanta area. However, more improvements are needed to sustain and improve the Chattahoochee River's water quality. New water management practices, such as land use management by local governments and developers to reduce nonpoint sources of pollution, will be required.
Georgia holds a unique combination of economic and environmental strengths. We are making progress in both areas, and by working together, we can balance these strengths .
While EPD plays a central role in regulation and education, the solutions must be achieved by all of us. The perforated card on the back of this report includes tips and ideas we can all incorporate into our daily live s.
For more information on these and other ideas on helping our environment, call EPD toll free at 1-888-373-594 7.

I
twenty nine

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"Earth's Cry" Jennifer Koo, 18

"Untitled" Alex Wise, 13
Thi s page and the adjacent page feature the art of Georgia students who were national finalists in the 1999 International River of Word s Environmental Poetry and Art Contest. The contest encourages children to explore and interpret their local watersheds.

TO CONSERVE OUR WATER:
Install ultra low-flow plumbing devices and fixtures . Replac e worn out washers on leaky faucets .
Take shorter showers. Five minutes or less is probably adequate.
Do not use the toilet as a trash can. Each flush uses about 5 gallons.
Turn the water off wh ile shaving or brushing teeth. Don't let it run while you're washing your car.
Replace leaky toilet valves (a "running toilet" between flushes). You may be losing more than 250 gallons a day.
Wash only full loads of clothes and dishes .
Don't run the tap to get a cool glass of water.
Minimize lawn and garden watering. Water trees, lawns and shrubs slowly to prevent runoff.
TO PROTECT OUR LAND RESOURCES:
Choose products and containers that are recyc lable. Participate in a community recycling drive or curbside program.
Reuse or recy cle newspaper, boxes, brown paper bags, packaging peanuts and other packaging materials . Wash and reuse glass and plastic jugs, coffee cans and dairy tubs.
Reduce the amount of unnecessary packaging. Buy products that are reusab le or packaged in bulk, or buy the large economy size.

When possible use rechargeable batteries. This practice wi ll help eliminate toxic meta ls in our so il and ground water.
Make sure your vehicle is well maintained and isn't leaking any fluids. Petroleum products can contaminate the soi l and ground water.
Try using natural household cleaners, such as soap and water, inst ead of chemical cleaners. If you do need to use products with hazardous components, follow instructions carefully. Any unused portion can be shared with neighbors or donated to businesses and charities or recycled. Do not pour them down the drain or on the ground.
Maintain and repair durable products and keep appl iances in good working order. Buy high-qua li ty, long -lasting tires, and follow maintenance procedures. This will extend tire life and reduce tire waste.
Leave mowed grass clippings on the lawn to decompose and add nutrients to the so il . Start a compost pile with leaves, grass and shrub cl ipping s, and some food scraps.
Become informed about your community, attend public meetings and get involved.
Visit EPD's website at www.state.ga.us/dnr/environ

MR HE A DIFFERENCE

TO PREVENT POLLUTION OF OUR RIVERS & STREAMS:
Participate in a cleanup event (annual river cleanup held each October) or local Adopt-A-Stream program. For information cal l 1-888-373-5947 .
Buy hou se hold prod ucts labeled non-t oxic, non -phosphorus, or water solub le. Toxic chemicals can harm st ream li fe Phosphorus can promote excessive growth of weeds and algae.
Di spose of trash properly. Styrofoam and plastics can kill fish and wildlife and contaminate water sou rce s.
Inspect septic tank system annua ll y. Pump it out eve ry 3-5 years.
Do not dispose of solvents, hazardous chemicals or waste in storm or home drains .
Use pesticides, herbic id es and fertilizers carefu ll y and spar ingly and on ly when other methods have fa il ed. Do not apply if rain is in the forecast. Rem ember, anythin g entering a storm drain goes directly into streams, untreated .
When watering lawn and garden, divert garden hoses from paved su rfaces onto grass.
Do not dump used motor oil or ant ifreeze down sto rm drain s. Take used motor oil and antifreeze to designated recycling centers.
Have your car inspected and maintained regularly. Le akage of fluids will eventual ly reach the nearest stream.

Report any suspicious potentia l pollutant discharge or illegal dumping act ivity. Call Tol l Free 1-800-241-4113 .
TO IMPROVE OUR AIR AND TO REDUCE GLOBAL WARMING:
Car pool, vanpoo l, use transit, telework, bike or wa lk when poss ible. Cars are the largest cause of our air pol luti on in most urban areas of Georgia. Wh en you do use your car, plan ahead and comb ine trips and errands . If you are buying a new car choose a fuel efficient and low emitting model.
Proper ly ma in tain your veh icle and keep t ires properly inflated.
Limit idling when possible, avo id qu ick starts and drive within the speed limit.
Refuel cars after 6:00PM to limit daytime pollution releases and don't top off your tank.
Keep lawn equ ipm ent and boats tuned up . Do not use lawn mowers and other gas powered lawn tools on a smog alert day, or use electric tools instead .
Use electric or natural gas grills instead of charcoal and lighter fluids .
Use env ironmentally-safe paints and cleaning products. Delay use of oi l-based paints until after 6:00PM or aft er smog season.
Conserve energy and turn off lights when you aren't using them . Set air conditioners to 78 degrees or higher or use a fan when possible. When buying a new appliance, think of buying one that is energy efficient. Remember most of the energy we use comes from the burning of fuel. The more energy eff icient we are, the less we po llute.

Environmental Protection Division
205 BUTLER STREET SE SUITE 1152 ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30334