DID YOU KNOW........ 
America is home to fishermen who have become millionaires from catching BIG FISH in rivers and lakes that at one time were so polluted fish could not survive? Developed after American's were fed up with polluted water, politicians who were worried about NOT getting re-elected, amended the CLEAN WATER ACT to include harsh penalties for those that chose to violate a persons health instead of spending the money necessary to clean up their mess so others downstream did't get sick.

GEORGIA DOT PROJECT
CLEAN WATER ACT 
COMPLIANT
OKLAHOMA DOT PROJECT
CLEAN WATER ACT 
NON-COMPLIANT










 





It's compliance with the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) of permits, with enforcement to back it up, that changed America's future back in the 70s, and it's compliance and 
enforcement of NPDES permits today that will protect our children tomorrow.    
Most of America's surface water is what it is today because some already learned the hard way what happens when we focus to much on profit and not the American's living downstream.  

Are we going to allow our children to live in a polluted America like the billions of people in Asia, Africa, and India who have laws set to protect them, but no ability to make the polluters comply? 





BALANCE is the KEY to a STRONG
AMERICA! In other words, imbalance is not going to work on either side of the profit/water quality scale. Are you seeing your state and local government under funding the agencies that are supposed protect your quality of life? Are water quality laws that keep your personal property and health protected considered a nuisance by your state and local politicians?  IS it right that a company with documented ongoing pollution discharges into your creeks, rivers and lakes NOT be held accountable?   IF NOT, "What are you going to do about it?!"
by T. Luke Owen
State of Georgia
CHANGES 
to Georgia Erosion Laws!



1)  the NEW 305b/303d LIST is now the 2014 list.

2)   NEW NPDES PERMITS FOR CONSTRUCTION SITES are COMING OUT ON JULY 1st, 2016.  THEY DO NOT AMEND THE CURRENT PERMIT CYCLE and INCLUDE language that addresses:
a) Coastal Marshland Buffers, and
b) the GAR100002 Permit for Infrastructure Permits that expands the definition of "maintenance" projects that will not include NPDES permit coverage.

MS4 STSCI Class Dec 2013 3)  The state law (GESA) is amended (see below) to clarify the definition of minor land disturbance.  CLICK HERE to go to EPDs document.
MINOR LAND-DISTURBING ACTIVITIES
As per O.C.G.A. 12-7-17(3), minor land-disturbing activities are exempt from the Georgia Erosion and Sedimentation Act (GESA):  "Such minor land-disturbing activities as home gardens and individual home landscaping, repairs, maintenance work, fences, and other related activities which result in minor soil erosion."
As per Part1(C)(1)(c), minor land-disturbing activities are exempt from coverage under the NPDES General Permits for Storm Water Discharges Associated with Construction Activity Common Development  and Stand Alone Permits (Permit),  "coverage under this permit is not required for discharges of storm water associated with minor land-disturbing activities (such as home gardens and individual home landscaping, repairs, maintenance work, fences and other related activities which result in minor soil erosion": 

The intent of this document is to clarify minor land-disturbing activities as defined in GESA and the NPDES General Permits for Storm Water Discharges Associated with Construction Activity Common Development and Stand Alone Permits, as follows:

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OBAMA ADMINISTRATION 
LOSES A SUPREME COURT DECISION
AGC of America

The U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling today (RULING) that will give the construction and development industries a way to respond immediately to overly aggressive assertions by the federal government that the property they want to build contains jurisdic­tional "Waters of the United States" (WOTUS).  A "jurisdictional determination" (JD) significantly impacts how land may be used, dramatically raises costs, and often reduces the feasibility of constructing critical infrastructure.  AGC submitted a joint "friend of the court" brief in the case, US Army Corps of Engineers v. Hawkes Co., making a strong case for why it is vital for contractors to know with certainty whether their projects contain WOTUS.
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Brief Video to the new Georgia Changes for Erosion and Sediment Control
Video to the 2016 Changes to the GREEN BOOK
Chipper Operator 
Specialist Workshop











Accidents involving brush chippers are a significant concern for tree care and landscape employers, the tree care workers who operate the equipment and manufacturers alike. Strong anecdotal information from the field tells us that chipper operators receive little or no formal training on chipper operation and field maintenance.
TCIA's Tree Care Academy Chipper Operator Specialist course is designed to train tree care crews in hazards, as well as accepted practices for brush chipper operation and other associated tasks.  The course, which is built for crew members who often do not receive formal training opportunities, will increase involvement with self-policing.

To REGISTER, or be a VENDOR 
please contact the Georgia Arborist Association  

QUESTIONS?
404-913-1422
info@georgiaarborist.org

Russell is the owner & principle trainer for Piedmont Arborist Consultants, LLC. He is a Tree Care Safety Specialist with the Tree Care Industry Association.  He serves on the Board of the Rockdale County Soil and Conservation District and Georgia Arborist Association. He has a BS in Plant Biology from Valdosta State University and is a Certified Arborist and Municipal Specialist with the International Society of Arboriculture.
 
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TRAINING EVENTS

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WATER ENVIRONMENT FEDERATION - WATERS WORTH IT!
HERE's TO 
TIGHT LINES 
& GOOD TIMES 
in 
Clean Abundant Water!!!
Respecting our neighbors downstream is what America is all about and it's the NPDES permit that helps us do that!  It's OUR CHILDREN that will be living through decisions we make today.    
NPDES is an investment into our nations future generations so they can also have an equally great place to live, swim, fish, boat, and hunt tomorrow! 
In 2016, I started presenting video's in various articles. They've become very popular and when viewed remember the purpose of implementing video is to introduce concepts and considerations in a different media for purposes related to increasing awareness and education in the water management community.  The intent is not to demonstrate the "only" way but only offer considerations and possible alternative solutions to the challenges faced by design, installation and maintenance personnel with regard to managing stormwater and other environmental concerns in urban and rural watersheds. Demonstrating ones "intent to comply" with the NPDES Permit and other federal, state and local requirements will protect our watersheds, as well as our pocket books in the future.

Sincerely,
NPDES Logo  
 TLO Sig
 

T. Luke Owen,PG 
President/Principal Trainer and Consultant