Programs
Ogeechee Fish Kill
On May 19, 2011, thousands of dead fish were found in the Ogeechee River, a 245-mile long blackwater river located in Southeast Georgia. The fish kill occurred in the small town of Dover, just downstream from a wastewater discharge pipe operated by King America Finishing, a textile manufacturer.
Click here to read our initial report of the event.
An investigation was undertaken over the summer to figure out how the fish died and who was to blame. Suspicion fell on King America Finishing, which had a history of illegally discharging wastewater into the river.
In September, much to our dismay, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) signed a consent order with King America Finishing that let it get off with what amounts to a slap on the wrist.
Click here to read about the consent order.
The Georgia Conservancy is committed to this issue. In light of EPD's failure to monitor King America's operations, we urge all of you to contact your local legislator and demand that legislature adequately fund environmental monitoring at the EPD and demand that the EPD monitor these polluters more intensely than they have in the past.
Click here for your local state representative.
Click here for your local state senator.
We are not letting King America off the hook, though. We will closely follow their actions as they develop an environmental remediation plan per the consent order and make sure that the plan includes restoring the health of the Ogeechee River.
In February 2012, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division released a draft of King America's new water discharge permit. We do not think the new permit adequately protects the health of the Ogeechee River.
