Peachtree Corners, GA — Today, Representative Lucy McBath (GA-07) and Senator Jon Ossoff visited Jones Bridge Park in Peachtree Corners to hold an informational briefing about implementation of the Chattahoochee River Act. Joining Rep. McBath and Sen. Ossoff were Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region IV Acting Deputy Regional Administrator Carol Kemker, Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) Mobile District Chief of Planning and Environmental Division Jeremy LaDart, Gwinnett County Chairwoman Nicole Hendrickson, and Gwinnett County District 1 Commissioner Kirkland Carden.
“We have a sacred responsibility to restore and protect the precious resources that serve our community,” McBath said. “That is why Senator Ossoff and I worked with a bipartisan group of fellow Georgia lawmakers to get the Chattahoochee River Act signed into law, because we must fulfill our responsibility to promote clean water initiatives. I look forward to working with our federal partners to examine the projects that are needed and deliver the investments to carry them out.”
“Over the next decade, the Chattahoochee River Act will have a transformative effect for the better, improving water quality up-and-down the River and its tributaries, which stretch into so many corners of Georgia,” said Senator Ossoff. “This is fundamentally about the health of Georgia families, access to safe and healthy recreation, and the long-term economic development of Georgia, which depends upon a healthy Chattahoochee River.”
“EPA understands the urgency of relieving our environment from pollution,” said Acting Deputy Regional Administrator Carol Kemker. “Under the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, the EPA is implementing programs like the Chattahoochee River Act that will protect and restore the river, ensuring quality of life for the ecosystems in the river basin for years to come.”
“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has a long history of working in the Chattahoochee River Basin on projects including restoration of aquatic environment and the protection of critical infrastructure from flooding,” said Army Corps of Engineers Mobile District Chief of Planning and Environmental Division Jeremy LaDart. “The USACE looks forward to continuing this work in the future through the Chattahoochee River Program.”
“Together, we will ensure that the Chattahoochee River remains a clean, viable water source for our critical utilities, agricultural needs and the enjoyment of those who live here,” said Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson. “I'm proud of the ongoing collaboration of our local and regional partners and the championing of the Chattahoochee River Act by Congresswoman McBath and Senator Ossoff.”
“As we look to the future, let us recognize the profound impact of the Chattahoochee River Act, a transformative milestone that breathes new life into our beloved water system,” said Gwinnett District 1 Commissioner Kirkland Carden. “This act will positively impact not only Gwinnett County, but also future generations of the metro Atlanta community.”
The Chattahoochee River Act was signed into law in December of 2022 as part of the reauthorization of the Water Resources and Development Act. Rep. McBath and Sen. Ossoff championed passage of this law which will help improve water quality, protect essential public works, and restore ecosystems along the river — which are all vital to Georgia’s drinking water supply, agricultural industry, power generation, and more. The first-of-its-kind law authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to work on water projects up and down the Chattahoochee River throughout the state of Georgia. Rep. McBath was an original cosponsor in the House and Sen. Ossoff was the lead sponsor in the Senate.