Altamaha Riverkeeper Protests to Army Corps of Engineers About Development of a Wetland Next to the Ocmulgee River

Hawkinsville, GA (PRWEB) December 2, 2006

The Altamaha Riverkeeper (ARK) http://www.altamahariverkeeper.org is opposing the property clearing for a subdivision and a proposed 70-acre lake on County Line Road in Bleckley and Pulaski County near Hawkinsville. The development area called Bush's Mills contains wetlands from what was a former pond with old growth cypress. According to area residents as the major logging operation began, dynamiting of a beaver dam was used to drain the pond on the property.

The land clearing operation for the new sub division called Royal Palms 2 is illegal according to ARK because it has not gone through the Federal Clean Water Act Section "404" permitting process. In a letter to the U.S. Army Corps. of Engineers (USACOE ) on November 29th, 2006, ARK says the clearing is not part of a normal established ongoing forestry activity and questions why the land clearing is not going through the permitting process that is required before harvesting trees from a water body.

Altamaha Riverkeeper James Holland inspected the site to follow up on a citizen complaint involving improper forestry practices. What he discovered, says Holland, are major problems on the site that violate the Clean Water Act mandated guidelines for harvesting timber.

"Bush's Mill Pond is located near and drains into the Ocmulgee River below Hawkinsville. If people get away with logging this pristine waterfowl habitat for new development and are able to dig an open water lake before securing all federal and state permits, it is a travesty. ARK or anyone interested in protecting the environment cannot condone this activity. ARK believes it is illegal without permitting," says Altamaha Riverkeeper Holland.

In the letter to the Corps., ARK says "ARK requests that the USACOE commence an investigation of this site. The ARK also requests that the USACOE disallow any structure on this site that will create a lake for a minimum of 2-3 years. We believe we are justified in making this request in order for the cypress to regenerate new sprouts to resume growth. If Bush's Mills is allowed to be filled with water before the regeneration of new cypress growth, the characteristics of this ancient body of water will be lost forever."

The Altamaha Riverkeeper is working to protect and restore the habitat, water quality, and flow of the mighty Altamaha River - from its headwaters in the Ocmulgee, Oconee and the Ohoopee to its estuary on the Atlantic Coast. More information is available at:

http://www.altamahariverkeeper.org

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