Georgia's environment, 2003

GEORGIA'S ENVIRONMENT
Environmental Protection Division Georgia Department of Natural Resources
2003

WATER EPDAIR LAND

R

GEORGIA'S ENVIRONMENT
CONTENTS

Cover photo: Altamaha River
GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF I NDUSTRY, TRADE, & TOURISM

OUR MISSION 2
OUR VISION 2
DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE 3
PROTECTING GEORGIA'S WATER 5 Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District 6 Water Protection in Coastal Georgia 6 Water Protection in Southwest Georgia 8 Stream Flow Protection Policy 9 Tri-State Water Negotiations 10 State Drought Management Plan 11 State Water Conservation Program 11 Designated Uses 12 Water Quality Monitoring 13 Total Maximum Daily Load 15 Erosion and Sedimentation 15 Dissolved Oxygen 16 Fish Tissue 16 Drinking Water 17 Georgia Adopt-A-Stream Program 18 Rivers Alive 18 Georgia Project WET 19
PROTECTING GEORGIA'S AIR 21 Ozone in Georgia 21 Mobile Sources of Ozone 25
Vehicle Emissions
Georgia Gasoline
Diesel Fuel Controls
Voluntary Emissions Reduction Efforts Stationary Sources of Ozone 28 Particulate Matter in Georgia 28 Southern Appalachian Mountains Initiative 30 Regional Haze 31 Southern Air PrinciplE S 31
PROTECTING GEORGIA'S LAND 33 Hazardous Waste 33 Hazardous Site Inventory 34 Solid Waste 36 Underground Storage Tanks 38 Scrap Tires--"A Good Day For Isabel Mealing" 39
EPD SERVICES 42

EPD'S MISSION
We help provide Georgia's citizens clean air, clean water, healthy lives, and productive land by assuring compliance with environmental laws and by assisting others to do their part for a better environment.
EPD'S VISION
Water and air throughout Georgia are clean, all land is productive, all citizens and native species are safe from environmental harm.
Government, businesses, and individuals faithfully exceed the requirements of environmental laws.
All citizens understand the environment and do their part to improve it.
As Georgia grows, its land, air, and water resources are managed carefully for sustained prosperity.
EPD staff are motivated and empowered to use skill, common sense, and fairness to protect, sustain, and be stewards of Georgia's environment.
EPD's workforce is strategically located to maximize effectiveness and to involve communities in sustaining a high quality environment.
EPD helps assure that growth is managed in ways that sustain air, water, and land resources.
E ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
2 Georgia's Environment

DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE

July 2003
Hundreds of thousands of people move to Georgia each year to enjoy life in one of the most popular states in the nation. Environmental quality is one of the many benefits of living here, but the population growth has made the EPD mission of providing clean air, clean water, healthy lives and productive land an even greater challenge.
This edition of Georgia's Environment is the latest in a series of reports intended to track environmental progress in our state and to explain the work that must still be accomplished. It also is an overview of the major environmental issues that affected Georgians over the past two years. They range from a new standard for measuring air quality in some areas of the state, to the lessons learned from a five-year drought, to how we manage nearly 17,000 tons of household trash every day.
The debate over how to balance the needs of 8.2 million Georgians with environmental concerns can be heard in all corners of the state. EPD is a regulatory agency, but our work also is directed toward public education and outreach. The ability for all of us to work together and reach consensus on difficult environmental issues is more important than ever.
We hope this report prompts a greater awareness of environmental concerns, and encourages all citizens to learn more about what they can do to help improve Georgia's environment.

PD DIVISION

Harold F. Reheis Director

DAVID WORD Assistant Director

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WATER

water

PROTECTING GEORGIA'S W AT E R

Georgia is water-rich. But drought, rapid population growth and agricultural and industrial water needs have strained our water resources in some parts of the state. The debate over how to best manage our water supply is being heard from suburban Atlanta neighborhoods and southwest Georgia farms to coastal region construction sites and north Georgia lakes.
EPD regulates water use in Georgia through permits that allow withdrawal of limited quantities of groundwater and surface water. Permits are issued to local governments, industries and farmers. (EPD does not regulate small private wells and therefore does not require permits for their operation.) The goal is to maintain an environmental balance by allowing reasonable use of water without having unreasonable adverse impacts on aquifers, streams, other water users and aquatic life.
As people compete for the limited water resources in the state, several factors can affect that environmental balance:
Drought Growth and development Agricultural, industrial and municipal water use Water conservation The state's larger metropolitan areas, particularly metro Atlanta, require more water than ever before, and water use also has increased dramatically on Georgia farms over the past four decades. In 1960, there were just a few irrigated farms in the state. By 2003, there were 21,611 permitted irrigation systems on more than two million acres in Georgia. Table 1 (below) shows that estimated water use by farmers in 2002, a year of severe drought, was greater than that of either local government or self-supplied industry. State legislation passed in 2003 provides for metering of irrigation equipment to provide an exact measurement of agricultural water use. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Georgia's population has more than doubled since 1960. There were 8.2 million people living in the state in 2000 and more than half of them made their home in the 20 counties surrounding Atlanta. These new residents place additional demands on water systems: for every block of 100,000 new residents, an additional 14 to 15 million gallons per day of water supply is required.

Table 1
Water use in Georgia During 2002 (mgd=million gallons per day)

Local government

Surface water mgd
970

Self-supplied industries 310*

Ground water mgd 237
278

All water mgd 1,207
588

Percent of state total 39%
19%

* Does not include oncethrough cooling water for power generation.
* * Estimated based on UGA monitoring on 1.9 percent of irrigated fields. Average was 7.5 inches per acre in 2002.

Agriculture 540

745

1,285**

42%

3,080

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Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District

To address metropolitan Atlanta's water needs, the Georgia General Assembly created the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District in 2001, and charged the District with developing long-term regional water plans for stormwater management, wastewater management and water supply and conservation by 2003. The District is made up of the following counties surrounding Atlanta: Bartow, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Forsyth, Gwinnett, Hall, Henry, Paulding, Rockdale and Walton counties. District decisions are made by a Governing Board, which includes representatives from local governments and citizen members.
EPD has an important role in the planning process. It provides the standards by which the plans are prepared, approves the plans and then ensures that local governments in the District implement the plans. The plans will protect water quality, water supplies and recreational interests both within the District and in downstream areas.
The Atlanta area gets 80 percent of its water from the Chattahoochee River, which is one of the smallest rivers in America serving a major city. Metro Atlanta is dependent on surface water, because granite underlies most of the area and that limits access to groundwater.

Water Protection in Coastal Georgia

Figure 1 Saltwater Intrusion (Upper Floridan Aquifer, Glynn County)
Data source: USGS (33H127 Test Well #3)
900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100
0
'66 68 70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 00 01 02
For more information on groundwater data, please call the Geologic Survey Branch at 404-656-3214; or log on to the USGS Water Reousrces of Georgia homepage at http.//ga.water.usgs.gov/

Population growth also presents a challenge for water managers in the state's coastal region. The 24 counties that make up coastal Georgia rest on a supply of underground water known as the Upper and Lower Floridan Aquifers. The growing region depends largely on the upper aquifer for its fresh water, but there is evidence that the water supply has its limits. Increased pumping of water from the upper aquifer can cause water pressure to drop, which allows salty water to seep into the fresh water supply.
Monitoring wells in the Savannah and Brunswick areas have been in place since the 1960s to help measure saltwater intrusion. Chloride (salt) concentrations in the two wells on Tybee Island near Savannah have remained relatively constant over the years and there was no significant change from 2000 to 2002. The Brunswick monitoring well data (Figure 1) shows that while the chloride plume in that area increased during the early years of monitoring, it has remained essentially static for the past eight years. For the period 1995-2002, chloride concentrations have been in a narrow range, from just below 800 to 870 mg/l.

Annual av. chloride concentration
Milligrams per liter

6 Georgia's Environment

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In the 1980s and 1990s, EPD began using its regulatory authority to address groundwater issues in the coastal region. This approach included the development in 1997 of an interim strategy for groundwater withdrawals to protect the Upper Floridan aquifer from saltwater intrusion. The strategy set limits on the amount of additional water it would allow to be withdrawn from the aquifer prior to completion of a long-term water management strategy for the region. By September of 2001, the water withdrawal limits set in the 1997 strategy already had been reached and EPD discontinued granting withdrawal permits for additional water from the Upper Floridan aquifer.
One reaction to the limitations EPD placed on new withdrawals from the upper aquifer was that some local governments, industries and farmers shifted attention to the lower aquifer to try and meet some of their near-term water needs. The increased interest in the Lower Floridan aquifer prompted EPD to hold a series of public meetings in 2002, which resulted in an interim strategy for groundwater withdrawals from the lower aquifer. It is a technical document, which says that a permitted water withdrawal from the lower aquifer must not have an adverse effect on the Upper Floridan aquifer.
The EPD plan to gain a better understanding of how saltwater affects groundwater in coastal Georgia centers on a massive science project launched in 1998 called the Sound Science Initiative. The early phases of the project included the drilling of on and offshore monitoring wells, land and marine seismic surveys, geologic mapping, engineering studies, and water use analysis and mathematical models to explain saltwater movement into and within the aquifers.
Most of the fieldwork was completed by late 2002 and the data that was collected is being analyzed. The bulk of the effort in 2003 and 2004 will center on refining the groundwater computer models. EPD also will assess the impact of various water pumping and conservation scenarios on groundwater quantity and quality. All of this information will be used to form a final strategy for permitted groundwater withdrawals in the coastal region, which is scheduled for completion by the end of 2005.
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Farm irrigation
PHOTO: TOMMY RUMPH

water
Water Protection in Southwest Georgia
In southwest Georgia, a similar Sound Science project is underway, but the emphasis is on agricultural water use, rather than municipal and industrial water needs. The research is designed to assess the impacts of agricultural irrigation on both the surface water and groundwater supplies. A system of gages to measure stream flow and groundwater levels is operational and comprehensive aquifer testing is occurring at 22 sites. Most of the remaining work involves the development of an improved hydrologic computer model that will help EPD better understand the interaction between ground and surface water. This project also will be completed in 2005.
Farmers who depend on surface water for irrigation need the most water during drought, when rivers and streams already are stressed due to lack of rainfall. Southwest Georgia's Flint River and its tributaries are particularly vulnerable, because of the farming activity concentrated in that part of the state. To preserve the health of aquatic life in the river, the Flint River Drought Protection Act was passed in 2000 to compensate farmers who voluntary stop irrigating their crops with surface water during a severe drought year.

Flint River, Baker County
PHOTO: GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY, TRADE, AND TOURISM

8 Georgia's Environment

water
EPD uses data relating to groundwater level, stream flow, precipitation and climactic predictions to make a decision on whether to issue a severe drought declaration. The decision-making process includes EPD scientists and engineers, the State Climatologist and the United States Geologic Survey.
The EPD Director did issue such a drought declaration in 2001 and 2002 in order to activate the Flint River Drought Protection Act. In 2001, farmers were paid $4.5 million to voluntarily stop irrigating their crops. More than 33,000 acres were taken out of irrigation. In 2002, more than $5.2 million was paid to farmers and about 41,000 acres were not irrigated. That translated each year to 130 million gallons of water per day that remained in the Flint River and its tributaries because of the reduced irrigation. Since the drought eased in early 2003, a severe drought declaration in southwest Georgia's Flint River Basin was not necessary for the summer of 2003.
Stream Flow Protection Policy
The Board of Natural Resources took action in 2001 to further protect aquatic life in streams and rivers during drought periods. The board adopted a policy that puts more stringent limits on municipal and industrial water withdrawals to ensure the health of the stream.
Historically, the holder of a surface water withdrawal permit was required to leave at least the 7Q10 flow past the permittee's pump. A stream's 7Q10 is a statistical figure that reflects the lowest seven-day running average of a stream's flow with a recurrence frequency of once in ten years.
Under the new policy, a new permit applicant has three options: 1) Maintain a monthly 7Q10 minimum flow (the lowest
seven-day running average flow, recurring every ten years, calculated for each month of the year) to better match the monthly changes in flow that may occur naturally in a stream. 2) Request an option that would allow a site-specific instream flow study to determine what minimum flow conditions must be maintained for protection of aquatic life. 3) Request an option that requires a minimum percentage of the stream's mean annual flow be maintained at the water withdrawal point. In the case of a reservoir, a certain percentage of the stream's mean annual flow based on calendar months would be required both at the inflow and at the release point.
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Tri-State Water Negotiations
In 1997, Alabama, Florida and Georgia asked Congress and the President of the United States to establish interstate water compacts for two major river systems: the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa (ACT) river system shared by Alabama and Georgia, and the ApalachicolaChattahoochee-Flint (ACF) river system shared by Alabama, Florida and Georgia. The compacts, or agreements, required the three states to develop plans for allocating and managing the two river systems to meet water needs through 2030 and beyond.
There were two significant developments in the tri-state water negotiations in the summer of 2003: Alabama and Georgia worked to refine a tentative
agreement regarding water allocation for the ACT river system. The ACF compact between Alabama, Florida and Georgia expired without an agreement. The compact had neared its expiration date several times over the years, but each time the states had agreed to extend the deadline. The Coosa and Tallapoosa rivers flow southward from northwest Georgia and merge with the Alabama River in south central Alabama. The Chattahoochee begins in north Georgia, forms the border between Alabama and Georgia, and flows into Lake Seminole in the extreme southwest corner of the state. The Flint begins just south of Atlanta and also flows into Lake Seminole. The Apalachicola flows from Lake Seminole across the Florida Panhandle and into the Gulf of Mexico. The two river basins make up 38 percent of Georgia's total land area, provide drinking water to more than 60 percent of the state's population and supply water for more than 35 percent of Georgia's irrigated agriculture.
10 Georgia's Environment

water

The State Drought Management Plan is available at www.state.ga.us/dnr/environ.

State Drought Management Plan
A five-year long statewide drought ended in 2003, but those five years of dry weather, combined with record population growth in many areas of Georgia, prompted the need for a statewide plan to promote water conservation and to better manage water use during drought periods. The State Drought Management Plan was completed and adopted by the Board of Natural Resources in March 2003. It represents the insight and interests of more than 80 stakeholder groups.
For the first time, the plan gives Georgians a clear method for determining drought and its various levels and provides measures for controlling outdoor water use. Even when there is no drought, water conservation and some outdoor water use restrictions will be in place to encourage behavior that will make drought response more effective.

State Water Conservation Program

For more information on water conservation, go to the State Water Conservation Web site at
http://conservewatergeorgia.net/

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has made water conservation a top priority and in so doing, created the Office of the State Water Conservation Coordinator in 2002.
The mission of the DNR Water Conservation Program is to promote the long-term efficient use of Georgia's water resources throughout the state. This will be accomplished by coordinating and strengthening existing water conservation efforts; coordinating and strengthening existing water conservation plans and programs; creating and implementing a statewide water conservation plan; creating new and supporting existing statewide public education and outreach opportunities; strengthening the regulatory role of EPD in water conservation planning; and acquiring stable funding sources at the federal, state, and local levels to execute all of the items above.

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Designated Uses
Georgians expect the water in our rivers, streams and lakes to be clean to support their needs and to support healthy aquatic life. We have water quality standards for our rivers, streams and an increasing number of lakes that are based upon the "designated uses" we have assigned to each water body, which includes fishing, recreation, drinking water, and wild and scenic.
The standards for each designated use have two parts: one for human recreation and the other for protection of aquatic life. Site-specific water samples are analyzed and the data is used to determine whether a water body meets its designated uses. If at least 90 percent of the data is within acceptable
limits, then a water body is supporting its designated uses. If 75 to 90 percent of the data is within acceptable limits, then a water body is partially supporting its designated uses. If 74 percent or less of the data is within acceptable limits, then a water body is not supporting designated uses. Any segment of a river or stream that does not fully meet water quality standards is considered to be impaired, and is listed in a routine report that all states must submit to the federal government. As of spring 2003, 905 miles of rivers and streams that had previously been listed in Georgia's report as impaired are now meeting water quality standards. EPD credits improvements in the quality of discharges from wastewater treatment facilities and better controls on non-point sources of pollution. Non-point sources of pollution include all of the pollutants that may flow off the land into storm water drains and waterways. They range from fertilizer on lawns to engine oil in parking lots. Non-point source pollution is the most difficult to control and requires public education and cooperation.
12 Georgia's Environment

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Figure 2 Water Quality Monitoring Site Network, 19962001
TENNESSEE

Water Quality Monitoring
There are more than 70,000 miles of rivers and streams in Georgia's 14 major river basins, so it is not practical to monitor and assess the quality of every mile of water. Instead, EPD uses a Water Quality Monitoring Site Network (Figure 2) to assess water quality in select areas. The monitoring data from those sites is used to judge the health of an entire river basin.
The Water Quality Monitoring Site Network has grown since its inception in 1995. EPD has assessed 1,297 additional miles since 2000 bringing the total river miles assessed to more than 11,000.
Rivers and streams Annual monitoring site Revolving river basin monitoring site River basin boundary

Coosa Tallapoosa

Savannah Oconee

Chattahoochee Ocmulgee Flint

Ogeechee Altamaha

Ochlockonee

Suwannee

Satilla Saint Marys

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Table 2 shows Assessed River Miles Supporting Designated Uses in 2002. Overall, 75 percent of river miles assessed fully or partially meet water quality standards.
EPD also gathers water quality information on lakes and estuaries. An estuary is the area of water located at the mouth of a river where it flows into the sea. The 20002001 data for lakes and estuaries is as follows: 396,852 acres of lakes were assessed. Of those,
86 percent fully or partially met water quality standards. 854 square miles of estuaries were assessed. Of those,
88 percent fully or partially met water quality standards.

Table 2 Assessed River Miles Supporting Designated Uses 2002

River Basin
Altamaha Chattahoochee Coosa Flint Ochlockonee Ocmulgee Oconee Ogeechee Satilla Savannah St. Marys Suwannee Tallapoosa Tennessee Total

Total River Miles Assessed
456 1,738 1,341 1,502
221 1,569 1,090
534 441 818 122 857 168 421 11,287

Support Miles
101 845 762 979
4 661 505 84 64 467
0 78 111 239 4,900

Support Miles as % of Total 22% 49% 57% 65%
2% 42% 46% 16% 15% 57%
0 9% 66% 57% 43%

Partial Support Miles
163 434 254 372
67 493 338 376 165 165 102 498
45 130 3,602

Partial Support Miles as % of Total 36% 25%
19% 25% 30% 31% 31% 69% 37% 20% 84% 58% 27% 31% 32%

Not Support Miles
192 459 325 151 150 415 247
83 212 186 20 281
12 52 2,785

Not Support Miles as % of Total
42% 26% 24% 10% 68% 27% 23% 15% 48% 23% 16% 33%
7% 12% 25%

For a copy of the Water Quality in Georgia report,please call the Water Protection Branch at 404-675-6232;or log on to EPD 's website at www.dnr.state.ga.us/dnr/environ/
Note: The Ochlockonee and Satilla River basins are characteristically swampy,causing naturally low dissolved oxygen concentrations. Current water quality standards do not sufficiently address this natural tendency; and as a result, these basins naturally violate standards.

14 Georgia's Environment

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Total Maximum Daily Load
EPD is working with communities throughout the state to address water quality issues. A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) is an important tool used to determine the extent of nonpoint source pollution in a specific area, and to take steps to improve water quality in nearby rivers, streams, and lakes.
A TMDL is a complex calculation, which in simplest terms, tells you how much of a pollutant can go into a body of water before the water becomes unsafe or unhealthy. Once that determination is made, limits can be set to control pollution.
In 2001, 284 TMDLs were established and approved by EPA. (EPD prepared 233 and EPA prepared 51.) In 2002, 212 TMDLs were developed and received EPA approval. (EPD prepared 198 and EPA prepared 14.) An additional 126 TMDLs are being prepared in 2003, including 113 by EPD and 13 by EPA. EPA and EPD have established more than 860 TMDLs since 1997 and intend to complete a total of 986 throughout all 14 Georgia river basins by January 2004.
Once a TMDL is established, EPD partners with communities to create TMDL implementation plans. The plans identify possible sources of pollution, such as industry, cities, agriculture and forest land. The plan also recommends best management practices for controlling pollution and includes a process for water monitoring to ensure that pollutants are being kept within TMDL limits. Since nonpoint source pollution is mostly contaminants that run off the land, the success of a TMDL implementation plan depends on the public's willingness to adjust lifestyles and behaviors to control pollution.
Erosion and Sedimentation
Legislation passed during the 2003 session of the Georgia General Assembly helps EPD control a major type of nonpoint source pollution. Erosion and sedimentation, perhaps more clearly referred to as mud, can clog our rivers and streams and kill fish and other aquatic life. Mud also can carry a variety of contaminants into a waterway. Erosion and sedimentation can result from any land disturbing activity, but most of it comes from sites where homes and roads are being constructed.
The new law imposes permit fees of not more than $80 per disturbed acre to help pay for site inspections and enforcement. The fees also provide EPD and local governments with the funding needed to hire additional staff to do inspections and review reports submitted by developers. The legislation also creates a mandatory training and certification program for people involved in erosion and sedimentation control programs.
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water

Dissolved Oxygen
One of the most important indicators of a stream's health is dissolved oxygen. Dissolved oxygen is necessary to support fish and other aquatic life. Stream flow rates and temperature can have a significant impact on dissolved oxygen levels. Standards range from 4.0 to 6.0 milligrams per liter depending on the stream classification and type of measurement.
Of the 37 statewide trend monitoring sites (core stations) tested from 1999 through 2002, only two sites showed violations of the dissolved oxygen water quality standard. The Stateline site on the Coosa River indicated periodic violations of the standard, and one violation of the standard was detected in 2002 at a site on the Altamaha River.

Fish Tissue

To obtain a copy of the booklet Guidelines for Eating Fish from Georgia's Waters, please call the Watershed Planning and Monitoring Program
at 404-675-6236; or log on to EPD's website at www.dnr.state.ga.us/dnr/environ/

Fish can supply us with a significant amount of information about water quality, because they may accumulate higher concentrations of contaminants than found in water. By studying fish tissue, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) can determine whether fish from a specific body of water are safe to eat and how much of that fish, based on its size and species, can be safely consumed during a given period of time. This information enables people to make informed decisions, while continuing to benefit from an important natural resource.
Fish tissue is tested annually for 43 contaminants and the results are published in a report called Guidelines for Eating Fish from Georgia's Waters. According to the report, most of the fish caught in Georgia waters are safe to eat. In 2003, approximately 59 percent of all fish tissue tested statewide did not require reduced consumption recommendations, while about 40 percent recommended limiting consumption to one meal per week or month. About 1.4 percent of the fish tissue tested should not be eaten.
Of the recommendations for reduced consumption, mercury accounts for the majority (80 percent) and PCBs for about 20 percent. Mercury occurs naturally in the environment, so it's not unusual to find it in fish tissue in low concentrations. However, mercury also is released into the air as a result of many human activities, including coal combustion, and eventually can appear in rivers and streams when it rains. The amount of mercury in most fish in Georgia has remained fairly constant since 1971 and is similar to concentrations in fish found throughout the Southeast. The methodology for determining safe mercury levels in fish has changed over the years, so there has been an increase in consumption restrictions due to mercury.
Just a decade ago, most of the reduced consumption recommendations could be traced to PCBs and chlordane.

16 Georgia's Environment

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EPD publishes a report every other year on surface water quality. The latest edition is titled "Water
Quality in Georgia 2000-2001" and contains the most recent data. The report can be found on the EPD Web
site at www.dnr.state.ga.us/dnr/environ.

Those chemicals can no longer be manufactured and concentrations in fish tissue are decreasing. However, there are several locations where PCB contamination continues and reduced consumption is recommended. Trouble spots include portions of Lake Hartwell, segments of the Turtle and Buffalo rivers in southeast Georgia, and the Coosa River in northwest Georgia.

Drinking Water
Public water systems regulated by EPD provide a dependable supply of safe drinking water to 7.2 million Georgians, or about 85 percent of the population. The remaining 15 percent rely upon unregulated private wells for their fresh water supply. Overall, the quality of public drinking water in our state has improved over the years and currently is excellent.
Regulated water systems (systems serving at least 25 persons) may range in size from a large municipal authority to a small operation supplying water to a single subdivision. They must obtain EPD permits, which require compliance with stringent standards. Extensive sampling, testing and data gathering must be done on a regular basis to ensure the water is safe for human consumption. There are 2,572 permitted water systems in the state.
EPD requires permitted water systems to meet standards for nitrates, volatile organic compounds, asbestos, lead, copper, and coliform bacteria. In 2001 and 2002: Every Georgian on a permitted water system received
drinking water that met water quality standards for nitrates, volatile organic compounds, and asbestos. Compliance rates for coliform bacteria were almost as good, with 99.9 percent of water system customers receiving water that met coliform bacteria standards. Water systems in violation of the coliform standard must take corrective action to be considered in full compliance. This includes public notification, submitting to an EPD sanitary survey and conducting additional sampling over a two-month period. The data shows 98 percent of water system customers received water in compliance with lead and copper standards. The remaining two percent (154,869 customers connected to 135 public water systems) currently receive water that exceeds the federal "action levels" for lead and copper. This means that action must be taken to correct corrosion problems that tend to raise lead and copper levels. A water system that has exceeded lead and copper action levels may be required to perform a corrosion control study, install corrosion control equipment and perform two consecutive six-month monitoring periods without an exceedance in order to be brought back into compliance with the standard.
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water

Rivers Alive volunteers in Dublin, GA

Georgia Adopt-A-Stream Program
The Georgia Adopt-A-Stream Program is proof that volunteers can make a big difference by working to help clean up the state's waterways. The EPD-operated program has four goals: 1) Increase public awareness of the state's nonpoint source
pollution and water quality issues. 2) Provide citizens with the tools and training to evaluate
and protect their local waterways. 3) Encourage partnerships between citizens and their
local government. 4) Collect data about water quality trends.
The program depends on volunteers who are willing to "adopt" parts of streams, wetlands, rivers or lakes. EPD assists in training the volunteers and offers technical support on water quality issues and pollution control efforts. As of April 2003, Georgia Adopt-A-Stream had more than 10,000 volunteers participating in 40 individual and community programs.

Rivers Alive

To learn more about Georgia Adopt-A-Stream and Rivers Alive go to www.riversalive.org.

The volunteer spirit also drives the popular "Rivers Alive" event held every October throughout the state. Volunteers spend the month clearing trash and debris from state waterways and educating the public about nonpoint source pollution. The Georgia Adopt-A-Stream Program and the Georgia Department of Community Affairs' Keep Georgia Beautiful Program sponsor the river cleanup activities. The 2002 event attracted nearly 17,000 volunteers who cleaned up an estimated 780 miles of waterways.

18 Georgia's Environment

2003 River of Words national grand prize art winner Submerged and Speechless Kristen Van Liew Druid Hills High School Atlanta, Georgia

water
Georgia Project WET
EPD is involved with a number of outreach and education programs, and one of the most popular is Project WET (Water Education for Teachers). Project WET is an international, interdisciplinary, comprehensive K-12th grade water education program for formal and non-formal educators. Project WET helps teachers use existing curriculums to bring water education and awareness to Georgia's school children. More than 4,000 Georgia teachers are certified as Project WET educators and 250 have volunteered to be facilitators and train other adults in their communities.
Project WET also works with the Georgia Center for the Book to coordinate the River of Words program. The program uses an art and poetry competition to encourage students to learn more about their watersheds. In 2003, Georgia produced one national grand prize winner in art, eight national finalists in art and three national finalists in poetry. Grand prize winners receive a trip to Washington, D.C., and are recognized at the Library of Congress.

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AIR

PROTECTING GEORGIA'S AIR
Atlanta skyline
PHOTO: JOE BRAGG

air
Overall air quality in Georgia is good, but there are areas where EPD is devoting extra time and attention to clean up the air. EPD has a statewide monitoring network that measures the concentrations of six air pollutants: carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter (10 microns and 2.5 microns), sulfur dioxide and ozone.
The monitoring results are regularly compared to the national ambient air quality standards for those pollutants to indicate the quality of our air. The standard for each pollutant indicates an outdoor (or ambient) concentration not to be exceeded. Concentrations of carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and particulate matter (particles smaller than 10 microns in diameter) in Georgia remain below standards. Ozone continues to be a problem pollutant in the metropolitan Atlanta area and fine particulate matter (smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter) is an emerging problem. We also are developing a system to monitor a large group of toxic air contaminants.
Ozone in Georgia
Ground level ozone is commonly known as smog. It should not be confused with ozone that occurs in the stratosphere, which is some 1015 miles above the surface of the earth and is beneficial in filtering the sun's dangerous rays.
Ground level ozone affects Georgia's air quality and continues to be a most difficult pollutant to control. Emissions from cars and trucks, power plants and other industries all contribute to the ozone problem, and have caused the 13-county metropolitan Atlanta area (Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, Dekalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Paulding, and Rockdale counties) to be named a "serious" non-attainment area for ozone. The designation was made because there are times during the warmer months of the year when the amount of ozone in the air exceeds health-based standards.
Ozone is a gas that forms when nitrogen oxides (NOx) react with volatile organic compounds (VOC) in the presence of sunlight and high temperatures. That's why our ozone problem peaks during the hot weather of summer. The ozone season is considered to be May through September, although EPD monitoring for ozone is done from April 1 to October 31.

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Figure 3 Carbon Monoxide (standard = 9.0 ppm)

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Figure 4 Lead (standard = 1.5 mpcm)

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'85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02

Parts per million

Figure 5 Nitrogen Dioxide (standard = .05 ppm)

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Figure 6 Sulfur Dioxide (standard = 0.14 ppm)

Parts per million

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Figure 7 Ozone Exceedance Days in Metro Atlanta (8-Hour)

Number of days above 8-hr standard

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10

..

..

. .

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0
'81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02

Figure 8 Ozone Exceedance Days in Metro Atlanta (1-Hour)

Number of days above 1-hr standard

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'81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02

22 Georgia's Environment

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Information on the Air Quality Index can be found on the EPD Web site at
www.air.dnr.state.ga.us/smogforecast/.

Existing federal rules have required EPD to use a onehour standard to measure ozone levels in the metro Atlanta non-attainment area. A violation occurs when ozone levels exceed the standard during any one-hour period. However the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) adopted a more stringent eight-hour standard in 1997, which is based on medical evidence that human health is adversely affected by longer periods of exposure to lower levels of ozone. After several challenges in federal court, the eighthour standard is now applicable and is used for air quality monitoring statewide.
To reach attainment of the one-hour standard for ozone of 0.12 parts per million (ppm), there can be no more than one exceedance at any given monitor per year averaged over a three-year period.
The process for meeting the eight-hour standard is different. The fourth highest ozone measurement at any given monitor from each year averaged over a three-year period cannot be higher than 0.085 ppm.
EPD uses the Air Quality Index (AQI), a system of color codes, to help people better understand the ozone health threat. These color codes are used to communicate information about ozone levels: Good (Code Green) Moderate (Code Yellow) Unhealthy For Sensitive Groups (Code Orange) Unhealthy (Code Red) Very Unhealthy (Code Purple)

23

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Number of Days Above 8-Hr Standard

Figure 9 Ozone Exceedance Days 2002 (8-Hour)
40 35 30 25 20 15 10
5 0
Atlanta Augusta Columbus Macon North South Georgia Central Georgia
Cohutta Wilderness Area of North Georgia
PHOTO: GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF I NDUSTRY, TRADE, & TOURISM

For example, in 2002, the metro Atlanta area experienced 38 days with ozone levels that exceeded the eight- hour standard; 30 of those days were "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups," seven days measured in the "Unhealthy" range, and one day was reported as "Very Unhealthy." During that same period, there were seven days with ozone levels that exceeded the one-hour standard. The EPD Ambient Monitoring Program provides more information about metro Atlanta's air quality at www.air.dnr.state.ga.us/amp/.
Although monitoring data shows that air quality in the 13-county Atlanta non-attainment area is improving, the region's formal classification is being reclassified from "serious" to "severe" due to failure to meet the attainment deadline specified in the 1990 Clean Air Act. The classification change will have no effect on Atlanta's air quality or on the programs to improve air quality.
There is evidence that air quality issues related to ozone in Georgia are not exclusive to the metro Atlanta area. Air quality monitoring during 2001 and 2002 in Macon and Augusta, as well as the Cohutta Wilderness Area of North Georgia, revealed violations of the eight-hour standard for ozone. Figure 9 indicates the number of days during 2002 that ozone levels statewide exceeded the eight-hour standard. While metro Atlanta recorded 38 exceedances, Augusta and Macon had seven each and ozone levels in the Cohutta Wilderness Area rose above the eight-hour standard eleven times. As a result, EPD expects USEPA to

24 Georgia's Environment

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designate more counties in 2004 as non-attainment areas for ozone. That action will mean more air quality monitoring, identifying sources of pollution, working with local governments on transportation planning issues, and advising the general public regarding air quality in their areas. New State Implementation Plans also will need to be prepared for any area not meeting the eight-hour ozone standard.

On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) test
PHOTO: KRISTIN HUNICKE

Mobile Sources of Ozone
Motorized vehicles are significant producers of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC), which are precursors to the formation of ozone. As a result, EPD's State Implementation Plan focuses on programs that are designed to reduce the amount of vehicle NOx emissions and to encourage people to reduce their dependence on single occupancy vehicles. EPD scientists and engineers refer to the cars, trucks and buses that use metro Atlanta's streets and highways as on-road mobile sources. Motorized vehicles used in land development and construction are referred to as off-road mobile sources.

Vehicle Emissions

For more information on the Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance Program visit Georgia's Clean Air Force
Web site at www.cleanairforce.com.

In metro Atlanta, most people are familiar with the EPD Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance Program (I/M). It was designed to identify and ultimately repair gasoline-powered cars and light trucks that pollute the air. Most vehicles registered in the 13-county metro Atlanta ozone non-attainment area must pass the emissions inspection. In 2002, EPD began using an On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) test on all 1996 and newer model year vehicles subject to emissions inspection. The OBD test uses a modern vehicle's computer system to determine whether its emissions control system is working properly. The traditional "tailpipe test" still must be used on older cars and light trucks, because they do not have the necessary on-board computer equipment to perform the OBD testing procedure.

25

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Georgia Gasoline
The plan to improve metro Atlanta's air quality also depends on the sale of cleaner-burning gasoline. This low sulfur fuel, also known as Georgia gasoline, has been sold during ozone season in the 25 counties surrounding Atlanta since 1999. Low sulfur fuel improves the performance of a vehicle's catalytic converter, which results in lower emissions. In April 2003, the coverage area was expanded to 45 northwest Georgia counties, and in September 2003, the sulfur content of the gasoline was reduced to just 30 ppm and must be sold year-round. This will make Georgia gasoline the least polluting (in terms of contributing to ozone) of any state's gasoline except California. The national low sulfur gasoline program will be phased in completely in 2006 and will cover the entire state.

Diesel Fuel Controls

Environmentally "friendly" school buses carry Clayton County school children.
PHOTO: STACY ALLMAN

The exhaust from diesel fuel-powered vehicles is one of the most visible forms of air pollution. There is evidence that the buses and trucks, as well as off-road construction equipment, contribute to our problems with ozone and particulate matter. EPD does not have the authority to regulate diesel fuel-powered vehicles, but in 2002, the Division began work to encourage voluntary controls on diesel emissions.
Work is underway to determine the number of diesel fuel-powered vehicles in the metro Atlanta area, their location and how often they are used. EPD will then find opportunities to retrofit diesel vehicles with special equipment to reduce emissions. For example, EPD worked with the EPA in early 2003 to obtain a $75,000 federal grant to retrofit 60 diesel-powered school buses in Clayton County. EPD also is working with mass transit and local governments to increase awareness of pollution problems relating to diesel engines. Low sulfur diesel fuel, which will be required nationwide in 2006, also will help reduce diesel emissions.

26 Georgia's Environment

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Voluntary Emissions Reduction Efforts

To learn more about The Clean Air Campaign go to www.cleanaircampaign.com.

EPD's State Implementation Plan also includes voluntary efforts to reduce emissions. The Division's Partnership for a Smog-Free Georgia program merged with another air quality initiative called The Clean Air Campaign (CAC) in 2001. The new Clean Air Campaign is a not-for-profit organization that works to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality in the 13 county non-attainment area through a variety of voluntary programs and services, including free employer assistance, incentive programs, public information, and children's education.
The CAC works with more than 650 public and private sector employers and more than 100 property managers, representing several hundred thousand employees, to reduce the number of single-occupancy vehicle commuters in metro Atlanta year round and particularly during ozone season. The program has helped reduce emissions and vehicle miles traveled by encouraging people to alter their commuting habits and to reconsider their use of motor vehicles.
This program is making a real difference. In a 2001 study of the effectiveness of transportation demand management in the Atlanta region, reductions in commute trips yielded a total of nearly a half million miles of daily travel eliminated by employees served and documented by CAC and its partners. This total grew to nearly three quarters of a million miles of vehicle travel reduced in 2002. A related survey in 2002 found that daily vehicle miles traveled was reduced by more than four million miles by commuters who had switched travel modes since the CAC formed five years earlier.

27

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Stationary Sources of Ozone
The EPD plan to control ozone also covers industrial facilities, including power plants, which are referred to as stationary sources. Industry accounts for about 30 and nine percent, respectively, of the nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) that are emitted in the 13-county Atlanta non-attainment area. [Note: Per the 1999 Periodic Inventory.]
There are stringent NOx and VOC emission control requirements for specific industries and power plants in the Atlanta non-attainment area, as well as in the 32 counties surrounding Atlanta. Certain new large industries and power plants in these areas also must meet an offset requirement. This means that a new large industry cannot be permitted, unless emissions reductions that exceed those of the new industry emissions are found and reduced.
Coal-fired power plants also contribute to the ozone problem, because of NOx emissions. Georgia Power has been required to install additional control equipment in order to reduce emissions from its seven power plants in north Georgia. This was completed in May 2003. Two of those plants, Yates and McDonough, are located in the 13-county non-attainment area. The others are in the 32-county area surrounding Atlanta.
The 1990 amendments to the federal Clean Air Act required that all states implement programs to issue Title V permits for all major stationary sources of air pollution, including power plants, factories and military bases. EPD will complete the Title V permitting process by the end of 2003. The Title V program does not change air quality standards, but it does require a permit holder to do more monitoring, record keeping and reporting.

Figure 10 Particulate Matter-10 (standard = 50 mpcm)

Micrograms per cubic meter

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'86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02

Particulate Matter in Georgia
Particulate matter results from nearly all types of burning, including wood stoves and fireplaces, diesel fuel, gasoline powered vehicles, coal-fired power plants and controlled burns on farms and in forests. It also comes from mining operations. Particulate matter is commonly referred to as soot, but is more formally defined as solid matter or liquid droplets from the smoke, dust, fly ash or condensing vapors that can be suspended in the air for long periods of time. The particles can range in size from a molecular cluster of 0.005 microns to coarse particles of 50100 microns in diameter. One hundred microns is about the diameter of a human hair.
Georgia has not had a recent problem meeting the former federal standard for larger particulate matter (PM-10) (Figure 10), which represents particles less than 10 microns in diameter. However, the USEPA established

28 Georgia's Environment

Figure 11 Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5 Annual Means

% of sites where annual mean is above 15 ug/m3

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0% 1999

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a fine particulate matter standard (PM 2.5) in 1997, which represents particles less than 2.5 microns in diameter. It is based on evidence that smaller particles are inhaled deeper in the lungs causing adverse health effects. EPD began monitoring for PM 2.5 in 1999, and by the end of 2002, had determined that about 40 percent of the state is not meeting the annual standard for PM 2.5 (Figures 11, 11a). The good news is that during that three-year period, EPD saw a consistent decrease in the annual PM 2.5 concentration. Much of the rest of the Eastern United States is having similar problems with fine particulate matter.
USEPA will designate PM 2.5 non-attainment areas in late 2004. EPD will develop a State Implementation Plan (SIP) for any area not meeting the standard. The objective of a SIP is to improve air quality so that the standard is met. EPD expects that some of the emissions reductions needed for control of ozone, particularly NOx emissions reductions, will help with the reduction of fine particulate matter pollution. In additions, some of the controls for NOx emission have complementary reductions in other forms of fine particulate matter. However, additional controls on industry and mobile sources, both on-road and off-road, will still be required to solve this new air quality problem.

Figure 11a 2002 Three Year Average of PM 2.5 Annual Mean
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Annual Standard

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15

10

Micrograms per cubic meter Macon SW Macon SE Savannah NW Garden City
Athens Forest Park
Kennsaw South DeKalb
Doraville Albany Rome
Atlanta -Buckhead Atlanta NW Brunswick Gwinnett Gainesville
Warner Robins Valdosta
Columbus SW Columbus SE
Yorkville Augusta-Medical College
Augusta South Rossville
Sandersville Gordon

29

Lula Lake, Dade County
PHOTO: GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF I NDUSTRY, TRADE, & TOURISM

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Southern Appalachian Mountains Initiative
The work of the Southern Appalachian Mountains Initiative (SAMI), which addressed air quality issues in eight Southern states including Georgia, was completed in August 2002. The SAMI studies focused on parks and wilderness areas, but the findings are relevant to people throughout the region.
The purpose of the Southern Appalachian Mountains Initiative was to minimize the effects of air pollution on protected areas throughout the Southern Appalachian region, which includes the states of Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky. The studies focused on the effects of poor air quality on forests and streams, including the impacts of acid rains, ozone and haze.
A key SAMI recommendation is for strong national legislation to reduce sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions from coal-fired power plants. Second, better controls were recommended for emissions of ammonia from animal feeding operations, because they have a greater environmental impact on the Southern Appalachians than previously thought. It also was agreed that these protected areas must be considered while developing State Implementation Plans for 8-hour ozone and particulate matter. For example, air quality issues in the Cohutta

30 Georgia's Environment

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Wilderness Area of north Georgia should be part of the process when preparing a plan for metro Atlanta. Finally, each SAMI state agreed to encourage energy efficiency, conservation and use of renewable energy.
The SAMI project also stressed the importance of understanding air quality issues in neighboring states, because air pollution can travel great distances and can linger at higher elevations. These air pollutants are mostly power plant pollution carried by the wind, but pollution caused by cars and trucks also affects our neighbors. For example, Atlanta's vehicle emissions affect Chattanooga's air quality, and vice versa. NOx (nitrogen oxides), in particular, transports very easily and has a big impact on surrounding states.
Regional Haze
The other big multi-state project is referred to as "Regional Haze" and was started in 2001. While SAMI participation was voluntary, the EPA rule for regional haze requires states to improve air quality for the purpose of increasing visibility. Georgia belongs to a regional organization called Visibility Improvement State and Tribal Association of the Southeast (VISTAS), in which the states work together on technical issues. Once that cooperative work is completed, each state will develop its own plan to address regional haze. The scientific work completed during the SAMI effort has given VISTAS a good foundation for its regional haze project.
Southern Air Principles
The Southern Air Principles agreement is another positive example of the regional approach to air quality issues. In 2001, the Governors of Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee entered into the agreement, which recognizes that regional cooperation is necessary to reduce air pollution.
Environmental managers in each state were instructed to work together to develop a strategy for addressing multiple pollutants and to develop innovative strategies for transportation and energy policies. The recommendations of this multi-state group were adopted in May 2002 and are being implemented.
They include a push for stronger legislation to control power plant pollution, promoting the use of alternativefueled vehicles and encouraging a shift to alternative energy sources, such as wind, solar, bio-fuels and landfill gases. The Southern Air Principles agreement also expressed support for the work of SAMI and VISTAS.
31

LAND

PROTECTING GEORGIA'S LAND
Figure 12
EPD Enforcement Orders

land
Hazardous Waste
Hazardous waste sites can be found throughout the state, but significant progress is being made to identify and clean up these contaminated areas. Most of them date back to a time when there were no controls on hazardous materials and many people did not understand their potential threat to human health and the environment.
The Hazardous Site Response Act (HSRA) is a critical part of EPD's efforts to clean up the worst sites. The law, which was passed in 1992, allows EPD to use the Hazardous Waste Trust Fund to hire contractors to clean up sites where the people responsible for the contamination are either unwilling or unable to do the work themselves. The Georgia General Assembly passed legislation in 2002 that authorizes and extends HSRA funding for cleanup work until July 1, 2013. The 2002 General Assembly also made significant changes to the Hazardous Site Reuse and Redevelopment Act to make it easier to clean up idled contaminated properties so they can be returned to productive uses.
The Hazardous Waste Trust Fund is financed with fees collected from industries and government that produce, handle and dispose of solid wastes, hazardous wastes and other dangerous materials. Fines collected by EPD for violations of environmental laws and rules also are placed in the Trust Fund. (Figure 12) Penalties for violations of all environmental laws totaled $4,505,815 in 2001 and $4,576,523 in 2002.

1,457

$4,505,815

1,728

$4,576,523

Enforcement orders in 2001

Penalties collected in 2001

Enforcement orders in 2002

Penalties collected in 2002

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Figure 13 539 Hazardous Sites in Georgia July 1, 2003

land
Hazardous Site Inventory
As of July 1, 2003, EPD had identified 539 hazardous sites in Georgia. The sites are located throughout the state. The greatest concentrations of sites are in metropolitan areas including Atlanta, Augusta and Savannah (Figure 13). The sites range from manufacturing facilities to dry cleaners to old unlined landfills. All contain hazardous substances that may have contaminated soil and groundwater beyond safe levels.
0 Sites 05 610 1125 2653

34 Georgia's Environment

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Figure 14 Georgia's Hazardous Site Inventory

Number of sites

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Sites added Sites removed

Figure 15 Status of Hazardous Site Investigations and Cleanups July 1, 2003
308

EPD lists the sites in a publication called the Hazardous Site Inventory (HSI). The HSI is published each year on July 1 and reports on the progress of the cleanup work done the previous 12 months. The total numbers fluctuate from year to year, as sites are added, or removed from the list once cleanup work is completed (Figure 14). For example, in 2001 69 sites were added and 16 sites were removed. In 2002, 32 sites were added and 29 sites were removed.
The sites that pose the greatest risk to people and the environment get cleaned up first. They also tend to be the most difficult and time-consuming projects. EPD tracks the investigations and cleanup work. Figure 15 offers a progress report on the hazardous sites in Georgia. Of the 539 sites currently on the inventory, cleanup work is underway at 308. Another 166 sites are under investigation to determine how much cleanup may be necessary. There are 65 sites awaiting action, because they are either low risk or were recently added to the inventory. Since 1994, a total of 158 sites have been cleaned up.
One method for managing hazardous waste in Georgia is to control how much waste is generated in the first place. Industries, business and governments have voluntarily reduced hazardous waste generation during the 1990s and continued to do so during the last two years. Voluntary action is important, because the laws do not require a generator of hazardous waste to achieve specific reductions.

Number of Sites

158

166

65

Cleanup and investigations completed

Under investigation

Cleanup in No action progress yet taken

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Figure 16 Disposal of Municipal Solid Waste in Lined Landfills

100 93% 95% 97% 98%

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0 '94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02

Solid Waste
Georgia is a very popular place to live, and as a result, we are generating about 16,726 tons of household trash, also known as solid waste, per day. At this rate, and providing for waste from other sources, the state's solid waste landfills have enough remaining capacity to last for approximately 21 years. The good news, these modern landfills are not the haphazard "dumps" that might have dotted the landscape years ago. Instead, your garbage is going to sophisticated, regulated landfills that are designed to safely hold solid waste. Other landfills are built specifically for construction and demolition debris.
Modern solid waste landfills are required to be as environmentally friendly as possible. They have liners and collection systems to prevent potentially dangerous substances from leaking into soil and groundwater. Decomposing garbage releases a liquid referred to as leachate. It must be collected and disposed of properly. Garbage also generates a gas called methane, which is the natural byproduct of decomposing organic materials. It is colorless and odorless, but highly flammable and explosive, and can migrate through soil. EPD requires that methane at landfills be safely eliminated, usually by burning it through a system of flares.
By the end of June 2002, there were 108 active solid waste landfills in the state. That includes 60 municipal solid waste landfills, of which 54 have liners and leachate collection systems. Today those lined landfills are receiving approximately 98 percent of Georgia's municipal solid waste compared to 45 percent in 1994. Figure 16 shows the increase in use of lined landfills. The state also has 46 construction and demolition landfills, one carpet bale landfill and one commercial industrial waste landfill.

Percent of Total Disposed

36 Georgia's Environment

Number of MSW Landfills

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Figure 17 Groundwater Contamination at Municipal Solid Waste Landfills

140 120 100 80

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96 97 98 99 00 01
Active sites with contamination Active sites with cleanup in progress Closed sites with contamination Closed sites with cleanup in progress

02

Figure 18 Methane Migration at Municipal Solid Waste Landfills

There are six unlined municipal solid waste landfills still operating in Georgia. They will close once they reach capacity, but will require monitoring for possible groundwater contamination and methane migration. Older unlined landfills continue to be troublesome long after they are closed. Figures 17 and 18 show the current extent of groundwater contamination and methane migration at municipal solid waste landfills.
The number of closed sites with groundwater contamination increased to 128 by the end of 2002, although the data also shows that progress is being made in cleaning up the contaminated groundwater. It is a similar story regarding methane migration with the latest figures showing 93 closed landfills with remediation in progress.
The problems at these older landfills will be corrected, but the process will be very time-consuming. For example, a groundwater investigation involves determining the extent of the contamination, providing alternative water supplies to people in the area and finding affordable methods for restoring groundwater quality.

Number of MSW Landfills

100

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Active sites with methane migration Active sites with remediation in progress Closed sites with methane migration Closed sites with remediation in progress

37

Number of Leaking UST Sites

land

Underground Storage Tanks

Figure 19 Leaking Underground Storage Tank Site

6,500 6,000

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5,000 4,500 4,000
. 3,500
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. 1,000 500

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'94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02

Cleanups in progress Cleanups complete

EPD continues to make significant progress in cleaning up leaking underground storage tanks in Georgia. The old, corroded fuel tanks were a major environmental hazard, because of their potential to contaminate soil and groundwater. But EPD started a federally mandated program in 1988 that helped identify and clean up thousands of sites that had leaking storage tanks. Since the beginning of Georgia's UST program, EPD has confirmed leaks from 9,970 underground storage tanks. As of December 31, 2002, cleanup projects had been completed at 6,108 sites, while work continued at the remaining 3,862 sites (Figure 19).
There was a 1998 deadline to either permanently close or upgrade all tank systems to current standards. So as new tank systems replace the old ones, the number of new releases is declining. A few releases still occur due to human error during the installation process, improper operation and material failures, but those releases are discovered and dealt with quickly.
Cleaning up a contaminated site can be complicated and time-consuming. The first step is to characterize the release by determining what fuel was involved, how much was released and how far it may have traveled. Potential receptors such as soil and groundwater, and nearby streams and lakes must be identified and tested for contamination. This information helps form a plan to clean up the site efficiently and in a manner that best protects the environment.
The Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund can be used to pay for many of the cleanup projects. The trust fund is supported by payments from eligible tank owners who voluntarily pay one half cent per gallon of petroleum product delivered to the tank. It is like purchasing an insurance policy in which owners are reimbursed should they have to pay for a cleanup.
There may always be some ongoing cleanup projects, but the future work of the UST program will involve educating operators of the underground storage tanks, particularly the small business owners who may be too busy to focus on the complexities of managing a tank system.

38 Georgia's Environment

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Isabel Mealing visited the tire dump site during the summer of 2002 to view the cleanup project.
PHOTO: KIM HAWTHORNE

A Good Day For Isabel Mealing
The tires had been there for almost as long as 95-year-old Isabel Mealing could remember. Thousands of scrap tires dumped in and around the water-filled pit in the vinetangled woods off from U.S. Highway 17 in McIntosh County. When she was younger, Mrs. Mealing says she tried to stop the dumping on her father's property. But the years rolled away and the tires kept coming.
In 1992, the Georgia General Assembly amended the Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Act of 1990 and directed the state Environmental Protection Division (EPD) to establish a Scrap Tire Management Program. In short, lawmakers said it was time to clean up the 4.8 million scrap tires that had been identified statewide, and manage scrap tire disposal in the future.
The 1992 amendment also required that a $1 fee be collected for each new replacement tire sold. That money, along with fines collected under Georgia's Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Act, is deposited in the Solid Waste Trust Fund and helps pay for tire site cleanups. The plan also included the creation of an historic dumpsite list, which encouraged people to come forward and identify tire dump locations all over the state.

39

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As it turns out, the EPD dump list played a key role in solving Isabel Mealing's tire problem. "I knew it was on the original historic dump list, but I couldn't find it at first," said Kim Hawthorne, an environmental specialist working out of the EPD District Office in Brunswick. "I kept searching and finally, way back in the woods I found the pit and saw the tires."
According to the Scrap Tire Management Program annual report for fiscal year 2002, more than 10.3 million tires have been removed from illegal dumps throughout the state since the program was established. The Mealing property was one of 67 dumps still waiting for clean up. Those dumps, which contained a total of about 240,000 tires, had been considered low priority because of their remote locations. Dumps located near populated areas are cleaned up earliest, because water-filled tires help breed mosquitoes and also can catch fire easily. With the more urgent sites cleaned up, the EPD's Hawthorne decided it was time to focus on the Mealing property.
"There were trees growing up through some of the tires," Hawthorne said. "There were thousands of tires in there, along with snakes, rats, raccoons and even an alligator."
EPD worked with a contractor during the summer of 2002 to clear the tires from the Mealing property. When the work was done, all 34,073 tires had been removed and recycled at a cost of about $40,000.
"In the middle of the project, Mrs. Mealing wanted to see the cleanup underway, so we took her back in the woods in a four-wheel drive," said Hawthorne. "She was extremely happy about the cleanup and amazed at how many tires had been dumped on the property."
The Scrap Tire Management Program has helped eliminate tire dumps throughout the state. The money generated by the program goes into the Solid Waste Trust Fund to pay for the cleanup. Other uses for the fund include corrective action at solid waste landfills where public health is threatened and grants to local governments for recycling programs and to teach people how to reduce waste.
We still generate about 8 million scrap tires every year, but stringent rules are in place to ensure that the tires are properly managed until they are either reused or recycled. Scrap tires cannot be placed in landfills, so it's important that Georgia's local governments continue to support recycling efforts and to take prompt enforcement action when tire dumps are identified.
40 Georgia's Environment

EPD SERVICES

EPD SERVICES

The EPD Director's Office is located in Atlanta, along with the Air Protection, Hazardous Waste Management, Land Protection, Program Coordination, Water Protection, Water Resources, and Geologic Survey branches.
EPD toll free number 888-373-5947
Air Protection Branch 404-363-7000 Geologic Survey Branch 404-656-3214 Hazardous Waste Management Branch 404-656-7802 Land Protection Branch 404-362-2537 Program Coordination Branch 404-463-7600 Water Protection Branch 404-675-6232 Water Resources Branch 404-656-6328
Our services also are convenient to people throughout the state via a network of eight district offices. The EPD Program Coordination Branch oversees the work of these district offices:
AlbanySouthwest District 229-430-4144 Serves Baker, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brooks, Calhoun, Clay, Colquitt, Cook, Crisp, Decatur, Dodge, Dougherty, Early, Echols, Grady, Irwin, Lanier, Lee, Lowndes, Miller, Mitchell, Quitman, Randolph, Seminole, Stewart, Sumter, Terrell, Thomas, Tift, Turner, Webster, Wilcox, and Worth counties.
AthensNortheast District 706-369-6376 Serves Baldwin, Banks, Barrow, Butts, Clarke, Elbert, Franklin, Greene, Hall, Hancock, Hart, Jackson, Jasper, Lincoln, Madison, Morgan, Newton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Putnam, Stephens, Taliaferro, Walton, and Wilkes counties.
AtlantaMetro District 404-362-2671 Serves Clayton, Coweta, Dekalb, Fayette, Gwinnett, Heard, Henry, Rockdale, and Spalding counties.
AugustaEast Central District 706-792-7744 Serves Burke, Columbia, Emanuel, Glascock, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Laurens, Mc Duffie, Montgomery, Richmond, Screven, Treutlen, Warren, Washington, Wheeler, and Wilkinson counties.
42 Georgia's Environment

BrunswickCoastal District/South 912-264-7284 Serves Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Brantley, Camden, Charlton, Clinch, Coffee, Glynn, Jeff Davis, Long, McIntosh, Pierce, Tattnall, Ware, and Wayne counties.
CartersvilleMountain District 770-387-4900 Serves Bartow, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Cobb, Dade, Dawson, Douglas, Fannin, Floyd, Fulton, Forsyth, Gilmer, Gordon, Habersham, Haralson, Lumpkin, Murray, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Rabun, Towns, Union, Walker, White, and Whitfield counties.
MaconWest Central District 478-751-6612 Serves Bibb, Bleckley, Chattahoochee, Crawford, Dooly, Harris, Houston, Jones, Lamar, Macon, Marion, Meriwether, Monroe, Muscogee, Peach, Pike, Pulaski, Schley, Talbot, Taylor, Troup, Twiggs, and Upson counties.
SavannahCoastal District/North 912-353-3225 Serves Bryan, Bulloch, Candler, Chatham, Effingham, Evans, Liberty, and Toombs counties.

For more information on the EPD Small Business Assistance Program visit the Web site at www.gasmallbiz.org or call 404-362-4842 or toll-free 877-427-6255.

Small Business Assistance Program
Owners of small businesses in Georgia can get free help on environmental issues by contacting the EPD Small Business Assistance Program (SBAP). The SBAP is a non-regulatory office within EPD that provides confidential assistance to businesses that employ fewer than 100 people. Help is available on topics ranging from permit applications to compliance requirements to pollution prevention.

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2003 River of Words state art winner Glistening Falls Gina Berchin J.C. Booth Middle School Peachtree City, Georgia

WATER EPDAIR LAND

Georgia Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division 2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Suite 1152 Atlanta, Georgia 30334 1.888.373.5947 404.657.5947 (in Atlanta) www.state.ga.us/dnr/environ
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