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	Georgia General Assembly

House Resolution 28
By: Representatives Porter of the 143^rd, Channell of the 111^th, Hudson of the 120^th, Parrish of the 144^th, Ashe of the 46^th and others

A RESOLUTION

Proclaiming the Georgia Water Bill of Rights; and for other purposes.

WHEREAS, the surface and ground waters of the State of Georgia are public resources and are vital areas held by the state as a trustee charged with the duty to manage these waters in the best interests of the public; and

WHEREAS, each Georgian has the right to expect that the waters of the state and below the surface of the earth will be conserved and maintained as a perpetual blessing to the state´s citizens and ecological system; and

WHEREAS, management of the state´s water resources must ensure the integrity of these resources by acknowledging the natural flow of waters through the watersheds and aquifers, from the mountains to the sea; and

WHEREAS, clean surface water and pure ground water are essential to Georgians´ health, welfare, and prosperity, and our citizens no longer accept the assertion that polluted water is a necessary price for economic progress; and

WHEREAS, no person or community should bear a disproportionate share of the burden resulting from the water use of others; and

WHEREAS, the citizens of Georgia have the right to use the surface and ground water resources on their properties, but the use must be reasonable in manner to the extent that the water supply is not depleted or degraded to the detriment of the health of people and wildlife; and

WHEREAS, Georgians have the right to the full, timely, and equitable enforcement of local, state, and federal environmental laws, which rightfully require protection of water quality and all life dependent on that quality; and

WHEREAS, all decisions by government officials, the public trustees of Georgia´s waters, shall be made in open forums, after full disclosure through public discussion and deliberation of all scientific, political, and economic facts and associated impacts, and citizens shall have readily available and unrestricted access to such information; and

WHEREAS, our government shall be held accountable for the proper management of Georgia´s waters.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY that the members of this body declare the foregoing provisions to be the Georgia Water Bill of Rights which shall guide the actions of all governmental officials and employees of this state.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized and directed to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to the public and the press.