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Internet Travel Monitor - Events & Legislation
January 30, 2008
Bill Would Let Pools Operate Despite Drought
ATLANTA, GA – Republican state lawmakers introduced legislation in both houses of the General Assembly this week to keep outdoor swimming pools open this year despite the crushing drought.
The lawmakers say their identical bills would strip state Environmental Protection Division chief Carol Couch of her power to restrict the use of public and private swimming pools.
"There is absolutely no evidence that closing swimming pools will noticeably impact our drought situation," state Sen. Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) said in a prepared statement Tuesday. "However, we know for sure that such an unwise action would shut down a $150 million industry in Georgia, cancel virtually every youth swim team, and take away the most enjoyed summer activity for hundreds of thousands of Georgia's children and families."
Rogers is sponsoring his bill with Sen. Judson Hill (R-Marietta) and Sen. John Wiles (R-Kennesaw). An identical bill is being carried in the House by Reps. Sean Jerguson (R-Canton), Charlice Byrd (R-Woodstock), Calvin Hill (R-Woodstock) and Tim Bearden (R-Villa Rica).
To conserve water in the face of the historic drought, state officials have banned most outdoor watering in North Georgia. That means no filling or topping off outdoor swimming pools, unless you truck in water or tap into a well.
Couch's spokesman said this month that the ban will remain in place if the drought doesn't ease. At a news conference Friday, Couch said she will put her recommendations on Gov. Sonny Perdue's desk by the end of this week.
Couch's office could not be reached for comment late Tuesday.
Meanwhile, a continued ban on outdoor swimming pools across metro Atlanta could cause hundreds of pool-related businesses to go belly up, some in the industry say.
"I would have to close my doors. And I have a baby to feed," said Chris Ward, president of Snellville-based Lazy Day Pool and Spa.
"I know a couple of companies that have already gone out of business because of the uncertainty. But I know that the moment the word comes that there is a pool ban this summer, 300 pool businesses in metro Atlanta would go out of business. And I don't know what the numbers would be throughout North Georgia."
Coalition mobilizes
A coalition of pool-related businesses is mobilizing to educate state officials on how a pool ban could affect them, said Randy Lewis, a consultant working for members of the local pool industry.
"The state is looking at this as strictly an environmental issue," Lewis said. "But this is also an economic issue. We just want the decision-makers to understand that a pool does not use that much water and also understand how this will affect a lot of businesses."
Hotel industry affected
Lewis said members of the state parks and recreation and hotel associations have also joined in the coalition.
Jim Sprouse of the Georgia Hotel and Lodging Association said it's an issue that concerns his industry.
"Closing the pools would just put us at a competitive disadvantage with travelers," Sprouse said.
"Travelers are expecting to have pools during the summer, and they will go elsewhere if our pools are not open."
Lewis said he recently attended an emergency meeting for members of pool-related companies who are trying to find ways to address the pending pool ban.
About 300 people showed up for the meeting, Lewis said.
"I was surprised at how many of these companies are small mom-and-pops," said Lewis. "These are businesses that will be vulnerable if they lose their peak season."
Copyright 2008 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. All rights
reserved. From http://www.ajc.com.
By Lateef Mungin, Jeremy Redmon.
To view the Internet Travel Monitor Archive, click http://www.tripinfo.com/ITM/index.html.
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