February 19, 2014
www.gfb.org
Vol. 32 No. 7
GFB SUPPORTS AMENDMENTS TO FLINT RIVER DROUGHT PROTECTION ACT The Georgia House of Representatives is considering a bill that would make changes to the Flint River Drought Protection Act (FRDPA). The bill, SB 213, amends the FRDPA. Georgia Farm Bureau supports SB 213. On Feb. 10, GFB President Zippy Duvall wrote to members of the Georgia House asking them to support the bill. “SB 213 allows for more efficient management of water resources of the lower Flint and provides needed flexibility in the bidding process authorized in the Flint River Drought Protection Act,” Duvall wrote. Currently, if data shows hydrologic drought, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) director is required to declare drought by March 1 each year. When such a declaration is made, a bidding process to scale back irrigation in the Flint River basin is required. Farmers who opt to suspend their irrigation are to be compensated by the state. SB 213 gives the EPD director the ability to make this bidding process optional. This provision was requested by EPD Director Jud Turner, who in 2012 declined to declare a drought although hydrologic conditions on the Flint merited it, citing the fact that the state had no money to fund the required compensation and noting that suspension of irrigation would have minimal positive effect on stream flows. The bill addresses concerns under the Endangered Species Act. The lower Flint River is home to species of mussels that are on the federal endangered species list. SB 213 authorizes EPD to augment stream flows in times of extreme drought and restrict withdrawals from augmented streams with the goal of protecting endangered species without shutting down all irrigation withdrawals across the region. Duvall said the augmented stream flows would help to protect endangered species in the lower Flint River and reduce the likelihood of Endangered Species Act lawsuits that threaten farmers’ ability to irrigate. Previous court decisions in California and Texas regarding water use as it relates to endangered species have resulted in severe water use restrictions in those states, resulting in significant losses for farmers and other businesses. “SB 213 is a good faith effort to protect endangered species and thereby avoid water restrictions in one of Georgia’s largest farming regions,” Duvall wrote. SB 213 was introduced in 2013 by Sen. Ross Tolleson (R-Perry) and passed the Senate by a 52-1 vote last March. It is expected to be brought up for a House vote in coming weeks.