The Georgia Conservancy strongly supports the Georgia Environmental Protection Division’s (EPD) position that water permits issued by the agency do not constitute private property. Further, the Georgia Conservancy supports EPD’s position that it will not approve any sales or transfers of groundwater under the Durango Paper Company permit to other users, as part of pending bankruptcy proceedings.

On May 20, an order was issued by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Georgia establishing bidding procedures for an auction of the Camden County-based Durango Paper Company’s assets. Among those assets listed is Durango's permit to withdraw 44 million gallons of groundwater per day.

The Georgia Conservancy has concerns about the Durango order because water in Georgia is not private property that can be sold at an auction to the highest bidder.

The Georgia Conservancy is a founding partner of the Georgia Water Coalition. This group of 121 diverse organizations, along with 182 cities and counties across Georgia, worked together during the 2003 legislative session to ensure as Georgia grows and prospers, all citizens will still have the right to clean and abundant water. The water that Durango no longer needs for its business is now available to other users, under the same conditions that EPD must consider when it issues a permit to any Georgia water user, including the sailors and their families who are soon to move to Camden County.

Groundwater withdrawn under the Durango permit can only be used for pulp and paper manufacture, not for residential, commercial or other use.

The Georgia Conservancy and Georgia Water Coalition will continue to working towards finding a sustainable solution to Georgia’s water crisis that addresses the needs of agriculture and business, and contributes to public health, while maintaining the integrity of Georgia’s natural systems. This can only be accomplished if Georgia’s water is not sold to the highest bidder.

Click here for an article about this issue from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

top | back