If you are having trouble viewing the email, please click here

Make your voice heard at EPA hearing on proposed mercury rule — TOMORROW

The U.S. EPA has proposed new safeguards to reduce hazardous air pollution from power plants, including mercury. The federal agency will hold one of only three public hearings to be held nationally in Atlanta tomorrow (May 26) to receive comments on a proposed mercury and air toxics rule.

“Power plants have for the most part avoided regulation of mercury pollution, but they are the single largest source of toxic air pollution,” says UCR’s general counsel Juliet Cohen, who will testify at the hearing at 10:15AM. “The proposed standards would close existing loopholes and require more power plants to comply with EPA standards to reduce mercury emissions that will result in less pollution of our waterways and fish in the Chattahoochee River Basin.”

Mercury contaminates water when rain washes toxins in the air into water bodies on the ground. These contaminants get into fish from the water, suspended sediments, or their food. The Georgia DNR's Guidelines for Eating Fish from Georgia Waters warns that the Chattahoochee River and its lakes have nine species of fish with consumption advisories due to mercury.

The hearing will be held from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center, 61 Forsyth St. SW, Atlanta, GA 30303. (Click here for map.) The public will be allowed to register in person on the day of the hearing for times worked in to openings in the schedule of speakers.

Back to the Chat for UCR’s annual race and festival on June 11!

Paddlers of all ages and skill levels are invited to our 9th Annual Back to the Chattahoochee River Race and Festival organized by UCR in partnership with the National Park Service, Fulton County, and city of Roswell. The race course begins at Garrard Landing Park on Holcomb Bridge Road and ends at Riverside Park in Roswell—site of the FREE festival for the whole family!

The festival will include a river gear sale/swap, rain barrel painting for kids (and a raffle of the final products), fly-casting demonstrations, environmental booths, and great music from Donna Hopkins and Gareth Asher — along with food and beverages.

As a special treat, paddlers only will be greeted at the end of the course by the SweetWater Beer Barge (UCR’s pontoon boat). Paddlers can enjoy sodas, water or a SweetWater brew (for patrons 21 and over carrying a valid ID) before going ashore.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER.
.

Help support UCR and our RBC Blue Water Project '53'

The RBC Blue Water Project is an innovative, multi-year, global commitment to help protect the world’s most valuable natural resource — fresh water.

With the RBC Blue Water Project, RBC has committed to provide $50 million in charitable grants to nonprofit organizations that protect watersheds and provide or ensure access to clean drinking water. Since 2007, RBC has committed more than $28 million in single and multi-year grants to 380-plus organizations – including a $75,000 grant to UCR to expand our No Time to Waste Program focused on water conservation and efficiency in metro Atlanta.

UCR has a second grant request to RBC to expand our successful Neighborhood Water Watch Program. Please help us spread the word about our involvement with RBC by clicking on this link and pressing LIKE.
.

UCR, SweetWater fans rocked the big tent at Park Tavern for 15th Annual River Revival

Thanks to the 600-plus folks who came out to our highly successful 15th Annual River Revival!

Our annual river celebration featured music by Ken Block and Drew Copeland of Sister Hazel (with bandmate Ryan Newell sitting in), Atlanta’s own Ponderosa, and Nashville’s The Kicks. Guests feasted on great food and beverages from Park Tavern and got a chance to sample three different brews from SweetWater Brewery, including a new Waterkeeper ale. The Brewery also kicked off its annual Save the Hooch Campaign at the event.

UCR’s Sally Bethea and co-founder Rutherford Seydel capped off the festivities by presenting the annual River Rock Star Award to filmmakers Rhett Turner and Jonathan Wickham for their documentary Chattahoochee: From Water War to Water Vision. (Photo by Spark St. Jude.)

For more photos from the event, become a fan on our Facebook page, and visit the Photos section!

MAY 25, 2011



Fish
Bites

Back to the Chattahoochee River Race & Festival, June 11

River Discovery Trip, June 25


WKA Earthshare Georgia Water Coalition

Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (UCR) is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3),environmental advocacy organization dedicated to protecting and restoring the Chattahoochee River, its tributaries and watershed, for the people, fish and wildlife that depend on the river system.