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SATURDAY OCT. 13,2007 @ 9 A.M
Memorial Plaza (UGA Campus)
The Health fair features over 20 local businesses and is free to the public
$18 for everyone
Registration fee includes T-shirt and a goody bag!
Register at www.nuci.org/spacerace
All proceeds benefit Nuci's Space
Call 706.227.1515 for more info.
PROMOTIONAL MARKETING
SPONSORED BY
<4t
FLAGPOLE
Frontier X-IOOD
THE ADSMXTH
advertising, graphic design & web creative
KAISER PERMANENT?.
Bertis &
Catherine
Downs
STUMO CERAMIC*
Advanced
Massage
THERAPIES
©
AthFest * Bischero * Buffalo's Southwest Cafe * Chase Park Transduction * Dree and Co. *
Dynamite/283 Bar * Farm 255 - Georgia Theatre * Harold Williams * Mantooth Music * Mercury Lounge *
Daniel Peiken * Republic * Smoothie King * St Mary's * The Pub @ Gameday * Walker's Coffee & Pub
nMMvmn^()rKi
For more information, call (706) 542*2437
or email info@aidsathen8.org
HELPING PEOPLE WITH
HIV/AIDS IS AS EASY AS
GOING OUT TO EAT OR DRINK!
Simply visit any of these restaurants or bars on
Wednesday, October 1 7th
and a portion of your bill will be
donated to AIDS Athens, Inc!
Last Resort Grill
The Grit
Farm 255
East West Bistro
DePalma's <al! 3 locations)
Mama s Boy
Black Forest Bakery & Deli
Hilltop Grille
Bischero
The National
Broad Street Bar & Grill (& oner only i
Allen S Bar & Grill (dinner only)
The Globe
Locos Grill & Pub <h arris St i !iinc.h only)
Five Star Day Cafe ;Broad st only)
Shoki Japanese Steakhouse
Aromas
Little Kings
Detour
Sponsored
FLAGPOLE
GEORGIA’S WATER PUN
Dry, parched lawns. Rivers running at a
trickle. Reservoirs reduced to mud puddles.
Restrictions on water use. These are all-too-
familiar images from our current drought.
They also are immediate reminders that water
in our state is finite, that there are limits on
how much we can consume. From now through
Dec. 14, members appointed to a statewide
"Water Council" will finalize a plan designed to
manage our water so that we have enough clean
water for now and the
future. In early 2008, the
state legislature will be
responsible for ratifying
this plan.
The Georgia
Environmental Protection
Division drafted the
plan, acknowledging
right up front that the water in the state belongs
to each and every one of us. It's a great start,
but the solutions proposed should be strength
ened to keep our rivers flowing and our drinking
water clean.
First, we need to make sure that water con
tinues to flow in rivers around the state. The cur-
that goals for water efficiency will be developed,
but it is not clear if these goals will be based on
significant measurable reductions in water use, or
whether they will apply to all water users. Third,
for the reasons outlined above, the plan should
set a specific policy on how much water must
flow in our streams, or outline a process to de
velop such a policy. Fourth, the plan must be
enforceable with clear and transparent criteria
for decision-making. The current draft plan by
itself is not enforce
able and contains only
policy statements, rec
ommendations and con
ditional language such
as "may" and "should,"
rather than "will" and
"shall." Finally—and per
haps most important-
no mention is made of funding to accomplish
the plan. Without sufficient funding, the plan
is nothing more than paper. In order to achieve
success, we all need for local, state and federal
governments to commit to specific, stable fund
ing for the plan at significant levels over the
course of several years.
It’s a great start, but the solutions
proposed should be strengthened
to keep our rivers flowing and our
drinking water clean.
High and dry docks at Georgia's West Point Lake this fall. While Athens and the rest of the state struggle with a record-break
ing drought, state officials are planning out the use of all of Georgia's water for decades to come.
rent plan, though, makes no guarantees. Metro
Atlanta is growing rapidly with limited water
availability, and real estate developers are thirst
ily eyeing the handful of rivers that flow through
the metro area—as well as those hundreds of
miles away—for new sources of water. The draft
plan alone cannot require the metro Atlanta re
gion to comply with its own provisions, because
that area is covered by a regional water plan
that was developed in 2003. It remains unclear
how the state plan works with the completed
metro plan to place common-sense limits on the
amount of water available to add more and more
houses, shopping centers and pavement to the
metro region.
Our water plan should guarantee that metro
Atlanta's thirst does not trump the availability
of water for the rest of us. The plan should not
allow us to be divided into "two Georgias," metro
Atlanta and the rest of the state. It must ensure
that enough water remains in rivers outside of
Atlanta in order to protect our communities,
economies and cultures; to protect fish, wildlife,
recreation and our children's future.
Second, the plan should propose specific effi
ciency and conservation requirements for all wa
ter permit-holders so that efficient water use is
required everywhere, always. The draft plan says
The Georgia Water Coalition (GWC) is a di
verse group of 149 organizations working for
a water plan that will provide enough clean
water for all of Georgia, now and for future
generations. GWC wants a plan that protects
all of Georgia's communities, calls for efficient
water use every day, provides for water that is
clean enough to drink and for fish that are safe
enough to eat, and involves the public in plan
ning their own future. The coalition encourages
all citizens to become informed and to comment
about the water plan, as it has the potential to
be one of the most important policies for our
waterways for years to come.
April Ingle
April Ingle is Executive Director of the Athens-based
Georgia River Network, which is a member organization
of the Georgia Water Coalition. Local GWC partners are
hosting an informational event on the state water plan
at the Foundry Park Inn Ballroom on Thursday. Oct. 11,
6-8 p.m. See www.georgiawater.org for more information
on the coalition. Additionally, the state Water Council
will hold a public hearing on the water plan at the
Georgia Center for Continuing Education on Thursday.
Oct. 18 at 6 p.m. More information is at www.georgia
watercouncil.org.
NEWS & FEATURES I ARTS & EVENTS I MOVIES I MUSIC I COMICS & ADVICE I CLASSIFIEDS
8 FLAGP0LE.C0M • OCTOBER 10,2007