May 23, 2003
The Honorable Denise Majette
House of Representatives
4th District
1517 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Congresswoman Majette:
We have spoken often during your short tenure in office. Therefore I am extremely disappointed to have learned of your recent reversal of opinion via letter. Wastewater is the single most difficult challenge facing Atlanta. I have worked every single day since my inauguration studying the issues and making the difficult decisions. I have no hesitation in my support of our program or in my belief that the current, court approved plan is the best alternative.
In order to verify the previously authorized plan, I convened a committee of national experts on combined sewer systems and solutions. This committee was chaired by Dr. Wayne Clough, President of the Georgia Institute of Technology. After a series of meetings and an in-depth review of alternatives, including full sewer separation, the Clough Committee reported in October 2002 that the proposed CSO concept was sound and that some cost reduction was possible with slight modifications. A copy of their report was provided to your office in the past; however, for your convenience another copy is attached. These recommendations were incorporated into a refined plan that was authorized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Georgia Environmental Protection Division on January 22, 2003, and approved by the court.
The refined authorized plan has the least cost and highest pollutant removal, both in the short-term and the long-term. It also achieves water quality goals in the shortest time. Your contention that immediate, complete sewer separation is a better solution is factually wrong. The current authorized plan is the “fiscally responsible, effective plan,” and prepares Atlanta for the known, future stormwater management regulations.
All solutions to the CSO problem are expensive and all must be implemented in the near-term. The effective actions to minimize the impact to Atlanta’s residents are cost reduction and funding. Focusing your energies on assisting us with federal funding, as has been achieved in San Diego and Boston with the leadership of their congressional delegations, would be most appreciated by the ratepayers of the Atlanta water system, which includes residents of Fulton and DeKalb counties.
Sincerely,
Shirley Franklin