MARCH 2013

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IN THIS ISSUE
HELPFUL LINKS
E&S LAWS, ARE THEY IMPORTANT?
GOOD NEWS ABOUT OUR TRAINING!
ONLINE COURSES
ENFORCEMENT ORDERS
SIGN UP AND FISH!
COMPLIANCE TOOLBOX
UPCOMING EVENTS!
MS4 INSPECTOR CERTIFICATION
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KNOW YOUR WEATHER BEFORE BREAKING GROUND! 











 
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


 
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Greetings!  

 

"Never Cuss a Farmer With Your Mouth Full!"
 
BROWN TROUT - Chattahoochee River 2012Or maybe we should say, "never cuss a builder while sitting in your modern air conditioned house!", or "never cuss a Chattahoochee River Keeper when you can float the hooch and catch a wild 14lb brown trout!".  

 

Did you know the headwaters of the Chattahoochee River which drain into Lake Lanier above Atlanta comprise the smallest watershed drainage area, which provides a major portion of water supply for any metropolitan area in the country? Yet, below the dam, it's not unusual for fishermen to catch 20 to 30 rainbow and brown trout in one day.

 

At our rate of growth (approx. 2 million every 11 years) it's more pleasant and time/cost effective to work on our watershed challenges as teammates rather than adversaries. That's why the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) is such a valuable resource to Georgia.  The EPD is an agency with people who work hard with industry and public interests that lead our state into a future of sustainability.  We just need to hire more of these awesome people!  In the mean time, we have organizations like Associated General Contractors of GeorgiaGeorgia Adopt-A-StreamCouncil for Quality Growth, and Georgia River Network, that represent the private and public sector as we grow our economy.  We need all of these people to work together for the good of all Georgian's and the generations to follow!

SPORTSMEN ARE A PRIMARY POWERHOUSE BEHIND AMERICA'S ECONOMY & CONSERVATION!

 

According to the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation,

hunters and anglers bankrolled conservation at $90 Billion in 2011. Excise taxes on fishing, hunting and shooting equipment as well as fees for licenses and stamps are all dedicated toward fish and wildlife agencies. Add sportsmen's generous support of conservation organizations like Ducks Unlimited, Trout Unlimited, etc., and you're looking at $3 BILLION a year

Hunter overlooking a canyon

Hunters and anglers are an economic force, fueling the American economy. The $90 billion they spent in 2011 would land them at #24 on the Fortune 500 list, above well-known companies like Kroger, 

Man holding a trout

Procter & Gamble and Costco. From boats to shotguns to land purchased for a place to hunt or fish, on average each sportsman and woman spent $2,407 that year.  

In the field hunting or on the water fishing is spent alone or with a small group of close friends and family. But when you add up all of those individuals, 

37.4 million people over the age 

of 16 hunted or fished in this country in 2011.  That's as much as the population of the entire state of California.  And the numbers are going up - 2011 saw the first increase in hunters (9 percent) and anglers (11 percent) in recent years.

So for you land development corporate executives and River Keepers its time to shake hands, because whether you picked up a shotgun, rifle, pistol, fishing rod, float tube, fly vest or kayak, you are both conservationists and contributors to the most affective wildlife conservation program known anywhere on the planet.  God I love this country!

Classroom NPDES Training
Must know's about our training!
  1. We GUARANTEE our Training! If you don't pass a test when you train with us, you will not pay to re-test!
  2. field manualYou will receive a FREE FIELD MANUAL with EVERY registration! This is a $20 value, and is MUST HAVE in the field.  Sign up today for any level 1A, 1B, Level II or any re-cert class and get your Field Manual on the day of training  ABSOLUTELY FREE!! REGISTER HERE
  3. Due to request, we now offer training in Gainesville, Athens, Lawrenceville, Tifton and Cumming in addition to our other training locations.  Be sure to check out our SCHEDULE OF COURSES for all of our training locations!  REGISTER HERE 
  4. We offer PRIVATE COURSES upon request at your location!  These are often the same price or reduced price from our regular training!  Call today to discuss your training needs. 678-469-5120 or email us at [email protected].
  5. We offer ONLINE RECERTIFICATION training for all levels that can be done from the comfort of your home or office - 24 hours a day!  Here are some Frequently Asked Questions about the online re-cert training. Visit www.geologiconline.com to sign up for an online recert class, or call us with any questions at 678-469-5120  
  6. Want some feedback from our past students?  Read reviews from our "Raving Fans" 
  7. AND DON't FORGET ABOUT OUR ONLINE COURSES FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY to name a few:  
    1. Hazard Communication
    2. Heat Stress
    3. Lockout-Tagout Awareness
    4. Hearing Protection
    5. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
CONSTRUCTION & NPDES COMPLIANCE
American's Working Together for WATER QUALITY!"
 
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TRAINING PROVIDER

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ENFORCEMENT of the Georgia 

Erosion and Sedimentation Act (GESA) :  

 

 

Facility:Lakeview Drive project site/Baldwin; order issued to Mr. Johnny Dayton
Location:Banks County
Order Number:EPD-WQ-5432
Date of Issue:January 29,2013
Cause of Order:Buffer encroachment at two sites and removal of riparian vegetation on one side of tributary  
Requirement(s) of Order:    Immediately install/maintain erosion and sedimentation controls until site is permanently stabilized; develop and submit proper Stream Buffer Restoration and Mitigation Plan to remediate buffer back  
Settlement Amount:
$500.00 
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Facility:Rock Creek Road project site/Suches; order issued to Mr. Roy Joseph
Location:Fannin County
Order Number:EPD-WQ-MDO-12-064
Date of Issue:January 09,2013
Cause of Order:Buffer encroachment; failure to obtain variance  
Requirement(s) of Order:    Obtain buffer variance for any future land disturbing activity at site; maintain all areas within buffer on project site using appropriate erosion and sediment controls; maintain compliance at site wi  
Settlement Amount:
$1,500.00 
Buffer Violation pic with shade 
Looking at the big picture of enforcement.....
Should EPD or Local Issuing Authorities levy heavy fines on a "little guy" who chooses to break the law and willingly strip a buffer?  Many believe that it's one thing to have evidence that you're trying to follow the law, and quite another to flagrantly violate the laws that protect people downstream and the critters that live in those waters. Where is the common sense when it comes to protecting our creeks when it's simply cheaper to pay the light fine than it would be to mulch, or protect a buffer.

What is going to actually change a violators behavior; a slap on the wrist, or a stiff financial penalty that gets plenty of press.  Maybe we should ask Walmart, Home Depot, or more recently GDOT that question?  I think we know the answer!
Nora Mills Dam 1824
OLDEST DAM ON THE CHATTAHOOCHEE
Originally built in 1824
DAMS ON THE CHATTAHOOCHEE

How many dams harness the power of the Chattahoochee River? Would you believe that no 
less than sixteen (16) dams have been built on a river that begins as a spring in north Georgia.  Although it's exciting to see Columbus tearing down a few dams as they build a state of the art whitewater course!  
If you are navigating down the river, you must portage around the first thirteen dams and lock through the last three. Once through the last lock, the Chattahoochee turns into the Apalachicola River and runs free for 107 miles to the Bay.
The oldest dam is also the norther
Nora Mills Dam 2012
Nora Mill Dam today
n most dam constructed on the "hooch", which is located just south of Helen.  Built in 1824, it powered John Brown's grist and lumber mill.  In 1876, Englishman John Martin built the present Nora Mill and then replaced Brown's original dam in 1893. Today, this log dam is one of only 50 or 60 in the United States still operating a water-powered mill.  Directions to this historic site are simple from Helen, take GA 75 south about 1 mile. The dam and mill are on the left, and definitely worth a visit!
Compliance Toolbox
 
 
 
2012 303d LIST -
GEORGIA
 

CITY OF ATLANTA - CAD Sample Plans
 

 

BUILDING & RENOVATING A POND in GEORGIA    

 

CONCRETE WASHOUT PROCEDURES

 

STATE WATERS (CCouch Ltr 2004)  

 

LOCAL ISSUING AUTHORITIES - NEW FEB 2012 List

 

NOIs and NPDES GENERAL PERMITs

 

ALTERNATIVE BMP GUIDANCE DOC

 

TMDL IMPLEMENTATION PLANS

 

PLAN REVIEW GUIDANCE DOC

 

NPDES FACT SHEET (Summarized changes)

 

STREAMBANK & SHORELINE RESTORATION in GEORGIA 

 

GESA Exemption #8

 

BUFFER VARIANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR DAMS

STORMWATER CONFERENCES

 

SOUTHEAST STORMWATER ASSOCIATION (SESWA)

(UPCOMING CONFERENCES)

 

GEORGIA ASSOCIATION OF WATER PROFESSIONALS (UPCOMING CONFERENCES)

  

 GEORGIA RURAL WATER ASSOCIATION (GRWA)

(UPCOMING CONFERENCES)

 

INTERNATIONAL EROSION CONTROL ASSOCIATION (IECA)

(UPCOMING CONFERENCES)

 
NPDES MS4 Training
 
MS4 Inspections - City of Atlanta
We also help you with your reporting.  Are you having a difficult time organizing all of those records and submitting that Annual Report to you state environmental agency? Not only do we provide MS4 Training for cities, counties, DOTs and universities, we also get you connected with a cost effective solution for your MS4 Annual Reporting Requirements!  

The  MS4 Web and Desktop programs are customizable state of the art software that can make annual reporting less expensive, much simpler, and a lot easier! 
 

CONTACT US if want to be MS4 certified and/or need more information about our highly rated training and MS4 reporting software!

Fishing w GrandpaIt's important that we sacrifice a little to give our future generations an equally great place to work, live, fish, hunt, and enjoy.  Before the Clean Water Act was passed, sediment, sewage, and chemicals caused America's rivers, like the Chattahoochee River, to be void of fish. As Americans, we cannot take our eyes off of the importance of water quality. Respecting our neighbors downstream is what the Clean Water Act is all about! 
 
There is a lot happening today with water regulations that affect a diverse community of public and private entities. If you have areas of interest that you would like included in this newsletter, please contact us at 678-469-5120. 
 

 

 Sincerely,
LOCO Spencers NPDES Training
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T. Luke Owen,PG 
President/Principal Trainer and Consultant
NPDES Stormwater Training Institute