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to protect, preserve, and restore one of North America’s most biologically diverse river systems

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Our Program Areas

Advocacy

From local development plans to state water laws, CRBI is an advocate for fishable, swimmable, & drinkable water in the upper Coosa River basin & across the state.

Education

In the classroom and on the water, we connect people with their local rivers, mountains, and forests while educating about wildlife, history, & current issues.

Water Monitoring

We train citizen scientists to become the eyes and ears of their own local waterways.  Monitoring data and citizen concerns help direct our focus to streams that need help.

Restoration

Each year, CRBI removes tens of thousands of pounds of trash through clean-ups while working to restore vegetated stream banks that fight erosion and sediment pollution.

promoting fishable, swimmable, drinkable water

Georgia textile mill agrees to stop PFAS pollution  

Coosa River Basin Initiative, SELC reach resolution to protect downstream communities  ROME, Ga. — In a victory for the health of Georgia’s Chattooga River, Alabama’s Weiss Lake, and downstream communities, a major textile mill in northwest Georgia has committed to permanently cease the use of PFAS and take action to reduce water pollution. Located on the Chattooga River, the textile mill discharged wastewater polluted with per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to the municipal wastewater treatment plant in Trion, Georgia. Because…

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Rome News Tribune Article Covers Beginning Stages of CRBI’s PFAS chemical testing

Rome News Tribune published an article that gives a great overview of CRBI’s plans for a multi-year study to determine the extent of PFAS contamination in Northwest Georgia and Northeast Alabama. While it is clear that many of the waterways in our watershed are contaminated by PFAS chemicals from upstream manufacturers, the extent of the contamination is yet to be verified. We will be collaborating with Coosa Riverkeeper in Alabama to test sites and Cyclopure, a company in California to…

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State Level Regulations Will Impact PFAS Usage

In the summer of 2022 the EPA released new health advisories (HAs) for a chemical group known as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances).   These chemicals are widespread in the environment since they have been commonly used in manufacturing since the 1940s.  They are used in the  production of everyday items particularly carpet and textiles, non-stick cookware, food packaging, firefighting foam, aerospace, automotive production, construction materials, and electronics.   The health advisory comes after mounting scientific evidence  is proving that PFAS…

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What Keeps Our Rivers Strong? Mussels!

In the streams and rivers of Northwest Georgia resides an unassuming but powerful champion of freshwaters.  These heroes come in many shapes and sizes, can live up to 100 years in the right conditions, and go by many names including Oval Pigtoe, Rayed Pink Fatmucket, and Little Spectaclecase.   They clean up the rivers, provide food to wildlife, and create safe habitats for aquatic critters. If you grew up along the rivers and creeks of North America you’ve almost certainly met…

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EPA Releases New Health Advisories for PFAS in Drinking Water.  What Does it Mean for Your Health?

On June 15th, 2022 the EPA released new health advisories (HAs) for a chemical group known as PFAS. The EPA’s health advisories are used by municipalities as guidelines for how to keep our drinking water safe and free from harmful chemicals and contaminants.  Using the most current scientific evidence, they make recommendations for the best ways municipalities can protect public health.  The group of manufactured chemicals in question, PFAS, has been under scrutiny for a number of years as research…

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CRBI, Harbin, Hardy Promote Safe Summer Recreation With the Launch of ‘Swim Guide’

Beginning Memorial Day weekend and running through Labor Day, CRBI will collect bacterial water samples at 30 popular recreation sites in the upper Coosa River basin. Weekly reports on E.coli levels will help everyone enjoying our waterways to stay informed while they stay active. This vast project expansion is made possible by the generous support of Harbin Clinic and Hardy Realty. “Spending time on our rivers provides ample benefits to our overall well-being,” explains Harbin Clinic psychologist and CRBI Board…

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Address
5 Broad St
Rome, GA 30161

Call Us

Phone
(706) 232-2724