I have spent a lot of time evaluating the environmental issues related to the projects on the 2017 SPLOST lists. Reading project manuals, discussing projects with associates, submitting questions and comments to staff, and multiple meetings with the county and cities were all part of my effort.
Most important of all, I visited the project sites where I thought environmental problems might exist. As an experienced field biologist, walking the area to make evaluations told me what I needed to know.
My conclusions are that while some minor problems will remain, the projects will not have an overwhelming negative impact on our environment. Of those that may have minor impacts, I believe it will be possible to make plan improvements as projects come up for implementation.
So I plan to vote for approval of this SPLOST.
Before I end this letter, you should know that the most significant project-related environmental issue was resolved for me. Saturday morning, (March 4) I attended the Peachtree City Council SPLOST information meeting where I provided information and expressed concerns regarding replacement of the Lake Peachtree dam.
Actually my concern was not replacement of the dam but rather having guaranteed low flow releases through the new dam. Peachtree City has agreed that there will be guaranteed low flow releases from the new dam.
In the past, shut-down of water releases from Lake Peachtree had damaged downstream life forms in Flat Creek. But now we have assurances that the detailed engineering plans will include gates to allow minimum continuous flows downstream into Flat Creek.
At least 1.0 cubic feet per second (CFS) will be released at all times, even during the worst droughts in the future. To compensate for this water release, 1.5 CFS will be released from Lake Kedron assuring that Lake Peachtree water levels will not change.
One final thought related to the SPLOST list. I know many of you are irritated over the failure of our local governments to perform maintenance on roads and paths. And while I agree with you that such maintenance should have been done, I wonder what we really accomplish if we vote against the SPLOST for this reason.
By rejecting the SPLOST, we add more delays and pay the price of more road and cart path damage. We hurt ourselves and in the end, the dollar cost for repairs will be even more. If infrastructure maintenance or lack of it bothers you so much, I suggest that you make it a future election/re-election issue.
Dennis Chase
Fayetteville, Ga.
