We’ve previously written on this blog about the water dispute between Georgia and Florida concerning water use caps. The basic dispute is that neighboring states have long held that Georgia uses an unfair amount of water from the Apalachicola-Cattahoochee-Flint River...
Environmental Law
Stockpiled tires are a nuisance and a danger
It is against the law in Georgia and most other states to dump tires. Nevertheless, people shamelessly drop their waste tires along the road and even onto private property. Others may allow tires to accumulate on their land or try to burn them. If you have a neighbor...
GA lawmakers look to update drilling law to better protect water, landowners
Most of Georgia’s natural gas reserves are in nine counties in Northwest Georgia. Over the past 10 years or so, there have only been several applications for drilling permits. None of those efforts has been successful, but lawmakers are looking to improve state...
Georgia Power denies allegations that power plant permits are expired
The Sierra Club and other environmental advocacy groups have reportedly filed a lawsuit against Georgia Power for allowing coal-fired power plants to operate with outdated permits. The groups are alleging that the agency failed to ensure that five different power...
Democrats combative over President Trump’s combative EPA nominee
Readers may or may not have heard of President Trump’s nomination of Scott Pruitt to head the Environmental Protection Agency. The pick, like most of Trump’s other nominations, has proven controversial. Lawmakers held a confirmation hearing earlier this...
Are chemical safety laws due for an update?
While much of the decision depends on the new presidential administration, a bill last year set the tone for the EPA to upgrade their research, potentially banning more dangerous chemicals from everyday use. A 1976 law allows the EPA to ban chemicals, within certain...
Plaintiffs draw on environmental law in earthquake litigation
A little known environmental threat has come to the surface in another state, but the ominous message is one that must be kept in mind in Georgia as well. An earthquake that occurred there has been tied by scientists to ongoing corporate waste disposal practices in...
What is covered under the Georgia Clean Water Act?
The federal Clean Water Act exists to protect water sources in the United States and to preserve the chemical and biological integrity of the sources of that water. The goal of the act is not only to preserve water as an accessible resource that people require but to...
Florida, Georgia battle it out in court over water-use rights, P.2
In our previous post, we began looking at a water dispute involve the states of Florida and Georgia, which is currently before the U.S. Supreme Court. At issue in the case is the state of Florida’s accusations that Georgia’s water use is having negative...
Mediation can be effective tool in some environmental disputes
Last time, we began speaking about the use of mediation in environmental disputes. As we noted in connection with the currently dispute between Florida and Georgia, going to court isn’t always the best way to resolve environmental disputes, particularly when...