This bill requires local governments to monitor and report quarterly the volume of surface water withdrawn from a waterway and how much treated water is returned.  If the local government returns less than 75 percent of the water to the waterway they would not be allowed to provide any new water service connection to any residence, building or other facility.  Lots that have septic tanks and are on public water systems (having more than 70,000 connections, or more than 200 accounts per square mile) would have to be at least three acres, but could not have septic tanks permitted during periods of exceptional drought.  Existing smaller lots on septic tanks in such areas have to be connected to sewer by July 1, 2016, and no new water connections can be made in areas failing to make sewer lines available for connections.     

HB 274 allows yard trimmings to be disposed of in a lined landfill (MSW) if it has a permitted gas collection system in operation that reuses the gas for electrical power generation, industrial end use or other beneficial use promoting renewable energy goals.

Additionally, this bill reauthorizes the scrap tire fee (Solid Waste Trust Fund) for three more years, allowing the General Assembly to continue redirecting this money to the state's general fund to balance the budget.  

This bill would exempt interbasin transfers from certain parts of the Tennessee River from interbasin transfer regulations.  

This resolution calls for the voters to consider an amendment to the Georgia Constitution authorizing the creation of a trust fund for purposes of hazardous waste management and/or solid waste management.

SB 157 makes local Solid Waste Management Plans (SWMP) updates optional for counties and cities and removes the requirement of having to complete an annual, duplicative solid waste report. Counties without zoning and land use ordinances may, however, wish to complete these plans and adopt them by local ordinance as the plans will maintain their ability to effectively govern the sitting of solid waste facilities within the community.

Amendments to the bill now require public notice any time a local SWMP is updated and require both public and private landfills to annually report to DCA the amount of waste disposed, the landfill's remaining capacity, recycling and composting activities, and any other information as may be required by DCA.

For ACCG's SB 157 talking points, please click here.     

This bill extends (from June 30, 2012 to June 30, 2015) the life of the Georgia Geospatial Advisory Council (GGAC). ACCG was a strong advocate of establishing the GGAC, which has audited Georgia's geospatial capabilities at the local, regional and state level. It also recommends how to best utilize these capabilities to meet FEMA notification requirements, achieve governmental data interoperability, and enhance the delivery of services to Georgia citizens.

This resolution establishes a joint Senate/House study committee to analyze the current status of Georgia's reservoir system and strategic needs for additional water supply.  The study is to include the identification of creative financing options for reservoirs and water supply enhancement.