After sponsoring

a hearing Friday to air concerns over a Jan. 3 deicing spill at Hartsfield

International Airport, state Rep. Kathy Cox still has concerns.

"I felt

they [airport and state Environmental Protection Division officials] were

truthful and answered questions to the best of their ability," she

said. "But there is still some accountability to be taken care of."

For instance,

she said, "I want an explanation of why the airport is not being

fined."

Admission by

airport officials that a clogged drain line backed up spent deicing fluid

in a holding tank, adding to the spill, shows that "there was some

negligence there," she said. "Any private business would have

been fined."

In the wake of the crisis, Cox said she will continue to support a bill

in the state Legislature that would create a regional authority to oversee

the airport.

"I certainly

think what happened ... adds some evidence and some good arguments as

to why we need some regional control," she said.

She added she

is looking into the possibility of banning ethylene glycol as a component

of deicing fluid in the state. Some states allow only the much less toxic

propylene glycol, she said.

Meanwhile,

Dennis Chase, president of the local environmental group the Line Creek

Association, urged officials during last week's hearing to consider an

increase in the normal biological sampling of the Flint River.

If fish and

wildlife in the river show any long-term ill effects from the spill, he

said, that would be a signal that humans might be threatened with long-term

consequences as well.

"Any extra

costs to EPD for doing these special studies as well as report compilation

and reproduction should be borne by Hartsfield Airport," he said.