Lake Lanier Shore Sweep 2009 and Bethel Park Town Hall Meeting

Dear List Members,

The Lake Lanier Association is pleased to announce Shore Super Sweep 2009, an ongoing volunteer program to clean up the shoreline of Lake Lanier.  Because of the low water levels, large amounts of trash are still exposed on the shore around the lake.  The Lake Lanier Association has arranged for designated dumpsters at three sites around Lake Lanier for disposal of trash that volunteers collect.

Two dumpsters are available for trash drop off via lake access only; Chestnut Ridge Park boat ramp, and a location on the south side of Young Deer.  The Chestnut Ridge Park boat ramp can be accessed between FB2 and FB4, and the ramp is in the last cove on the west side of the park, close to its entrance.  The Forsyth County dumpster is between YD4 and YD5 on the south side of the creek.  Volunteers disposing of collected trash by vehicle may go to Gainesville Marina, where a dumpster is in place at the south boat ramp.

The Lake Lanier Association thanks W.L. Hailey and Company for the use of their dumpster on Young Creek, the Corps of Engineers, Lake Lanier Islands and Gainesville Marina.

This ongoing program is made possible by a generous grant the Lake Lanier Association received last year from the BoatUS Foundation.  The association thanks J & J Disposal for their continued support.  Any groups wishing to plan an organized clean up may arrange it through the association office.

Please mark your calendars for the 21st Annual Shore Sweep on September 19, 2009.  For more information, please call the association at 770-503-7757 visit their Web site at www.lakelanier.org.

Bethel Park Town Hall Meeting

The Lake Lanier Association has received an email from Forsyth County Commissioner Patrick Bell with details of a Town Hall Meeting on March 3 regarding Bethel Park.

Forsyth County District 4 Commissioner Patrick Bell will hold a town hall meeting regarding Bethel Park Tuesday, March 3 at 6:30 PM. The meeting will be held at Chestatee Elementary School, located at 6945 Keith Bridge Road (Highway 306).

This will not be a Q&A session, the format will follow standard Public Comments to allow attendees as much an opportunity to provide input and comments regarding Bethel Park.  The time scheduled is 1 1/2 hours with 45 minutes afforded both proponents and opponents.

For those not aware of the issue, Forsyth County and the US Army Corps of Engineers are currently in litigation.  Forsyth County claims the Corps did not offer Bethel Park to the county prior to offering it to the YMCA.  The YMCA has proposed building a summer camp facility and Forsyth County had proposed an RV Park and Learning Center.  Forsyth County filed suit against the Corps of Engineers and has a hearing pending.

Boat Owners May Have Federal Tax Benefits Available

NEWS From BoatU.S.
Boat Owners Association of The United States
880 S. Pickett St., Alexandria, VA 22304
BoatU.S. News Room at http://www.BoatUS.com/news/releases.asp

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contact: Scott Croft, 703-461-2864, SCroft@BoatUS.com

ALEXANDRIA, Va., January 19, 2009 – Recreational boat owners who paid state sales taxes on a boat purchase, or those who secured a bank loan to finance a boat, may have some tax deductions available when filing their 2008 federal income tax return.

The Sales Tax Deduction

For boat owners who paid substantial state sales taxes on a new or used boat purchase last year, the Tax Extenders Act of 2008 signed by President Bush on October 3 continues to offer a federal tax benefit with a deduction for state sales taxes. Boaters must choose either the state sales tax deduction or state income tax deduction on their federal tax return — you cannot take both.

In addition, to take the state sales tax deduction, the sales tax on a boat purchase must be applied at the same tax rate as the state’s general sales tax. In order to claim the sales tax deduction, tax returns must be itemized. State sales taxes are entered on IRS form Schedule A, line 5b.

The Boat Loan Deduction

For those owners with a secured boat loan, mortgage interest paid on the loan may be deductible from your federal income taxes. Taxpayers may use the “second home” mortgage interest deduction for one primary home and one second home and must itemize deductions on their returns. A boat is considered a second home for federal tax purposes if it has a galley, a head, and sleeping berth.

Some boaters may be unaware of this potential tax benefit because not all lending institutions send borrowers an Internal Revenue Service form 1098 which reports the interest paid. Not receiving the form does not preclude taking the deduction. If a 1098 is not available, boaters should contact their lender for the amount of interest paid and should enter it on line 11 on Schedule A along with the lender’s tax ID number. If a form 1098 is sent, boaters should simply enter the amount on line 10 of Schedule A.

Sorry, AMT

For those who fall under the Alternative Minimum Tax, most deductions are unavailable as taxes are calculated differently. Boaters are urged to contact a tax preparer or financial advisor for more information.

For more details on the mortgage deduction, go to http://www.IRS.gov and download Publication 936 or the Fact Sheets. For state tax deduction information download Publication 600, which also includes state-by-state tax tables.

###
About BoatU.S.:
BoatU.S. – Boat Owners Association of The United States – is the nation’s leading advocate for recreational boaters providing its 600,000 members with government representation, programs and money saving services. For membership information visit http://www.BoatUS.com or call 800-395-2628.

July 20, 2006: LLA Golf Outing and Shore Sweep

LLA Golf Outing and Shore Sweep

Golf Tournament: The LLA’s 4th Annual Golf Outing will be held on Monday, July 31 at PineIsle Golf Course on Lake Lanier Islands.  Registration for this event begins at 10:00 a.m. Fees are $150 per player or $600 for a foursome: feesinclude gate and greens fees, cart rental, lunch and appreciation reception/awards.  Sponsorships are also available:

• Tournament Sponsor: $1,000 – includes 4 players, hole signage, banner, recognition at award ceremony
• Hole Sponsor: $400 includes hole signage and recognition at award ceremony

To register, please visit our web site at www.lakelanier.org

Shore Sweep

The LLA is in the process of planning the association’s 18th Annual Shore Sweep which will be held on Saturday, September 30.

If you are interested in helping plan this event, please email us at lakeinfo@lakelanier.org.  Volunteers are needed to work on the appreciation party, to work at the participating marinas and parks, and to sign up sponsors.

Sponsorships for Shore Sweep are:

• Creek Sponsor: $250:recognition in newsletter, web site and poster
• River Sponsor: $500: recognition in newsletter, web site and poster,name on back of event T-shirt
• Lake Sponsor: $1,000: recognition in newsletter, web site and poster,featured placement on back of event T-shirt, poster and all outreach materials.

For more information on either of these events or to volunteer to help the association, please call 770-503-7757 or email lakeinfo@lakelanier.org.

July 30, 2006: Public Meeting Reminder

Public Meeting Reminder

Important Meeting about Lake Lanier Management

Senators Saxby Chambliss & Johnny Isakson and Congressman Nathan Deal are hosting a town hall meeting to discuss the management of Lake Lanier and Georgia’s water resource needs on Tuesday, August 8 at 10:00 am at Riverside Military Academy’s Sandy Beaver Center, 2001 Riverside Drive Gainesville, GA 30501.

A representative from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ South Atlantic Division will be present.

Directions: from Atlanta via I-85: take I-85 north to I-985 and make a left on Hwy 129 at Exit 22. Follow Hwy 129 through downtown Gainesville and take the right fork on 129 after 129 and 60 split at the end of Green Street. Take second left after fork on to Riverside Drive and Riverside Academy is one mile ahead. From GA 400: take Hwy 369 into Gainesville and turn left on Hwy 129 at the Best Western Lanier Center; follow directions on Hwy 129 as above.

- August 8 at 10:00 AM – An opportunity to voice your concerns

November 2, 2007: LLA submits a Memorandum of Law

In the Lake Lanier Association’s ongoing efforts to keep our lake clean and full, on October 26, 2007 the association submitted a Memorandum of Law to the U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, Jacksonville Division, in support of the motion of the State of Georgia for Preliminary Injunction against the severe withdrawals from Lake Lanier by the US Army Corps of Engineers.

The Lake Lanier Association summarized its position as follows:

No basis in fact or law for the Corps’ Interim Operating Plan’s requirement of a 5,000 cubic feet per second flow at the Chattahoochee gauge, and that the flow should be reduced;

The Endangered Species act does not require more than the natural flow of the ACF to protect the mussels and sturgeon identified as being at risk.

The Corps is required to protect and balance all purposes for the construction of its facilities in the ACF as identified in their 1930’s study and has not supported some of the purposes by increasing Lake Lanier’s discharge in excess of its natural inflow.

The Lake Lanier Association also addresses the impact of the excessive releases on residents, businesses and boaters on Lake Lanier and included as an exhibit a copy of a study of Lake Lanier’s economic impact of recreation as evaluated in a 2001 Marine Trade Association of Metro Atlanta (MTAMA) Study.

The entire Memorandum of Law is on the association’s web site, www.lakelanier.org and accessible from the home page.

The Lake Lanier Association’s board of directors continues to monitor this situation and will act in its ongoing efforts to protect Lake Lanier and represent the rights of its members.

Updates

More than 1300 volunteers, including hundreds of Boy and Girl Scouts, turned out on September 29 for the Lake Lanier Association’s 19 th Annual Shore Sweep. The volunteers collected 42 tons of trash and Styrofoam at 14 sites around Lake Lanier.

The volunteers combed Lake Lanier’s shoreline for five hours from 8 a.m . until 1 p.m. The most Styrofoam was collected this year by a concerted effort in Dawson County. Volunteers scouted out Styrofoam and other large objects on the shoreline in advance and organized groups to retrieve it and take it by boat to War Hill Park . The association thanks all sponsors, donors and especially the volunteers for their dedication and efforts.

The Lake Lanier 50th Anniversary cookbooks have arrived, and you can order yours in time for the holidays! Compiled by the Lake Lanier Association, the cookbook was originally started in 2005, and now has over 200 great recipes including your boating and picnic favorites and recipes from area restaurants. To order your cookbook, please go to our web site, http://www.lakelanier.org/ev_lla_cookbook.php

ANYONE REQUESTING OFFICIAL COMMENTS FROM THE LAKE LANIER ASSOCATION IS ASKED TO PLEASE CONTACT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING BOARD MEMBERS:

Jackie Joseph, President
Val Perry, Executive Vice President
Vicki Barnhorst, Executive Director

All can be reached by emailing lakeinfo@lakelanier.org

October 4, 2007: Call to Action for Lake Lanier Stakeholders

Lake Lanier is facing the most serious threat to its existence since it was opened and filled 50 + years ago. The current drought that has plagued Georgia for the past two years threatens to create a major economic and survival problem for North Georgia. Current projections indicate that Lanier, already 12+ feet below normal pool, will drop another 12 to 20 feet by the end of this year. This would bring the Lake down to a level where recreation would be curtailed, many docks would be on solid ground, and the strong economic engine, $5.5 billion, generated by Lanier would become stagnant, causing many businesses to slow down or close entirely.

These problems are significant, but even more problematic would be the affect on the drinking water supply for 4-5 million Georgians. Lanier provides the drinking water for Atlanta and North Georgia , and if the Lake falls below 1035 feet above sea level, the outflow at Buford dam will almost stop, halting drinking water for most municipalities below the dam.

The major cause of this crisis situation is the drought. However, prudent management of the water releases from Lanier would ameliorate the drastic drawdown of Lanier. The US Army Corps of Engineers regulates the Lanier water, and currently they release 2 to 10 times as much water as flows into Lanier. This is contra to the Corps strategy in past droughts, where releases were kept to a minimum in order to protect drinking water for Georgia. This year the extraordinary releases are purported to be to satisfy water requirements for 2 mussels that are on the endangered species list. We are convinced that Georgia citizens are far more valuable than potentially endangered mussels in Florida.

We ask that you support a “grass roots” campaign to have Georgia officials take the concerns of Lake Lanier to the Department of the Army. We need a prudent evaluation of the Lanier releases, with the intent of preserving our drinking water and the health of one of our most precious resources, Lake Lanier . Please send an email and a personal letter or note to our elected officials, encouraging them to follow up with the Department of the Army and the Corps of Engineeers to reduce the outlandish releases from Lanier.
Email/letter along with appropriate politician addresses is included in this package.

Thank you for your continued support of Lake Lanier.

July 10, 2007: Dock permit moratorium extended until October 24, 2007

Dear List members,
We have learned today that the Corps at Lake Lanier has extended the current moratorium on accepting new appointments/applications for boat dock permits until October 24, 2007.

In response to the large number of water-related fatalities on Lake Lanier this year, Shoreline Management rangers have been temporarily reassigned to perform increased water safety duties, and shoreline management activities will be suspended through September 3, 2007. All available park ranger staff, and additional rangers brought in from other Corps lakes, will be performing weekend patrols and promoting water safety with lake visitors.

As you will recall, the Corps implemented a 120 day moratorium on acceptance of new applications for private docks on April 27 to allow the Corps to complete the evaluation and processing of pending dock permit applications and appointments received prior to April 27 to ensure the maximum carrying capacity of 10,615 private boat docks was not exceeded.

The Corps will be responding to phone calls related to public safety, the purchase of property or violations on Corps property.

The Lake Lanier Association will place the Corps’ press release on its web site as soon as possible.

January 11, 2007: Water Council Town Hall Meetings

We urge you to attend a Town Hall Meeting on water quality being offered by the Georgia Water Council as part of the Comprehensive Statewide Water Management Planning process.

These meetings, to be held on Saturday, January 20, will give you an opportunity to ask questions and offer comments on water quality issues which already affect Lake Lanier and could affect the lake in the future. Times and venues are:

Saturday, January 20 – Gainesville
9:30 am to 12:00 pm
Gainesville State College Continuing Education Auditorium Continuing
Education Building
3820 Mundy Mill Road
Oakwood, GA 30566

Saturday, January 20 – Cumming
2:30 pm to 5:00 pm
The Cumming/Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce
212 Kelly Mill Road
Cumming, GA 3004

Each meeting will start with an open house to give citizens a chance to discuss the water planning process with Water Council members and their staffs. A presentation on the draft policy recommendation will follow the open house and the meetings will conclude with a public comment period.

Representatives from the Lake Lanier Association will be available at both sessions and will have a handout on water quality issues pertaining to Lake Lanier for your information.

The Comprehensive Statewide Water Management Planning Act of 2004 formed the Water Council, which consists of legislators, legislative appointees and state agency heads who have water-related responsibilities. The Act requires that the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) develop the Plan, and present it to the Georgia Water Council next July. The Plan will be brought before the General Assembly in 2008.

January 8, 2007: EPD Public Meeting and Hearing

The LLA urges its members to attend the EPD’s Public Meeting and Hearing on the new draft permit they have issued to the City of Gainesville for its Flat Creek plant. The meeting will be held on Thursday, January 11 at 7:00 p.m. at the Georgia Mountains Center, 301 Main Street, Gainesville.

The EPD will receive oral comments on water quality issues pertaining to the draft permit. The parameters in this new draft permit for Flat Creek are the same as those in the original EPD permit to Gwinnett County. The Lake Lanier Association believes that the parameters in the final Gwinnett permit, which were negotiated after the Supreme Court ruling in the LLA’s favor, should form the minimum for wastewater discharge standards for Lake Lanier.

The public may make oral comments for the record at this hearing. The EPD will receive written comments by close of business on January 18. Please send your comments to:

Director, Environmental Protection Division, Department of Natural Resources 2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr, Suite 1152 Floyd Towers East Atlanta, GA 30334 We thank you for your support and hope to see you at the meeting on Thursday.

September 11, 2006: EPD Meeting and Hearing on Revised Gwinnett Discharge Permit

Dear List Members,

The EPD has scheduled two important meetings;

At 7 p.m. on September 21, 2006, the EPD will hold a public meeting on the revised Gwinnett discharge permit.  This is the permit based on the parameters negotiated by the Lake Lanier Association after our victory in the GA Supreme Court during our litigation against the EPD and Gwinnett County.  The purpose of the meeting is for the EPD to present and receive comments on the draft permit, and this will be followed by a public hearing for the EPD to receive comments on the permit for the public record.

It is very important that as many people as possible attend this meeting to comment on this permit.  The Lake Lanier Association is committed to insisting that any future permitted discharges into Lake Lanier have the same parameters, or better, as this permit.

The meeting will be held at the Gwinnett County Justice and Administrative Center Auditorium at 75 Langley Drive, Lawrenceville, GA 30045.

EPD Meeting on Stream Buffer Variances

Rule 391-3-16- .01, “Water Supply Watersheds,” is being amended to clarify that local ordinances providing for the protection of required stream buffers may also contain provisions for a local buffer variance application and review process.

To provide the public an opportunity to comment upon and provide input into the proposed rule Amendment, three public hearings will be held at 6:00 p.m. at the following dates/locations:

September 21, 2006
Dalton Utilities
1200 V. D. Parrott, Jr. Parkway
Dalton, GA 30722

September 26, 2006
Dahlonega City Hall
465 Riley Road, Dahlonega, GA  30533

September 27, 2006
EPD Training Center
4244 International Parkway; Suite 116
Atlanta, GA  30354

At the public hearings anyone may present data, make a statement, comment or offer a viewpoint or argument either orally or in writing. Lengthy statements or statements of a considerable technical or economic nature, as well as previously recorded messages, must be submitted in writing for the official record.  Oral statements should be concise.

For both hearings, those unable to attend may submit written comments.  Comments on the Gwinnett permit should be received by the EPD by close of business on September 28, 2006, and on the stream buffer issue by close of business on October 6, 2006.  Written comments may be emailed to EPDComments@dnr.state.ga.us or sent via regular mail addressed to: Linda MacGregor, Chief, Watershed Protection Branch, 4220 International Parkway, Suite 101, Atlanta, Georgia, 30354.

For further information, contact the Watershed Protection Branch at 404/675-6236.