Blog Posts Archives - Coosa River Basin Initiative

PUBLIC COMMENTS: EPA Moves to Weaken PFAS Limits in Drinking Water

July 14, 2026

EPA has proposed two rules to weaken PFAS limits in drinking water. The deadline to submit written comments is Monday, July 20. BACKGROUND: In 2024, EPA finalized drinking water regulations that covered 6 PFAS compounds (PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO–DA [GenX], and PFBS). Utilities were given a 5-year runway to make appropriate plans to come into compliance with these drinking water limits by 2029 – this is the maximum amount of time permitted for compliance with a Safe Drinking Water…

Conservation groups petition EPA to revoke Georgia’s CCR Permit Program

August 1, 2024

Advocacy, Blog Posts, Plant Hammond, Press Releases

ATLANTA — Today the Southern Environmental Law Center, on behalf of Coosa River Basin Initiative, Altamaha Riverkeeper, Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, Georgia Interfaith Power and Light, the Sierra Club and others, petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to revoke Georgia’s Partial Coal Ash Permit Program because it allows coal ash pollution of Georgia’s water resources by authorizing disposal of toxic coal ash in the groundwater, in violation of national safety standards. Coal ash, or coal combustion residuals (CCR), is generated from burning coal for…

Coosa River Basin Initiative Invites Educators and Students to the Student Symposium for Watershed Innovation & Management (SSWIM)

July 9, 2024

Blog Posts, Education, Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Rome, Georgia, July, 10, 2024 — Coosa River Basin Initiative (CRBI) is excited to announce that its first annual Student Symposium for Watershed Innovation & Management (SSWIM) is scheduled for April of 2025. This upcoming event will offer middle and high school students an opportunity to immerse themselves in hands-on environmental projects, explore innovative solutions to watershed challenges, and learn about careers in natural resources. Hosted by the Coosa River Basin Initiative with support from Berry College,…

Breaking Down the Facts About Microplastics

September 28, 2023

Advocacy, Blog Posts, Education, Restoration, Water Monitoring

Imagining a world without plastics may feel impossible considering what a staple they are in today’s society, yet their large scale production and use only dates back to the 1950s. Since then, their production has surpassed most other man-made materials. It has been estimated that between the 1950s and 2015, approximately 6300 million metric tons of plastic waste has been manufactured, 60% of which currently resides in landfills or the environment, including our water. While many people have heard about…

The Importance of Macroinvertebrates

August 21, 2023

Blog Posts, Education, Restoration

What Are Macroinvertebrates? Macroinvertebrates serve as the ecological cleaning services in aquatic ecosystems. While the name may sound unfamiliar at first glance, Northwest Georgia is home to many macroinvertebrates you likely know, such as Crayfish, Mayflies, Dragonflies, Clams, Mussels, and more! While here these small and sometimes bothersome creatures may seem like little more than pests, they’re actually crucial to our rivers’ ecosystems. These organisms affect even our local water sources such as the Coosa River Basin and serve an…

Why Test for E. coli? Here’s What You Need to Know…

August 2, 2023

Blog Posts, Lake Allatoona, Water Monitoring

Written by Courtnee Davenport Every year, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, CRBI sends out dedicated field techs to collect water samples from 30 boat ramps, public beaches, and rivers from Weiss Lake to Allatoona Lake for Swim Guide. The goal for collecting these samples is to find out how much E. coli is present in these popular recreational areas. In order to help our community better understand what E. coli is, where it comes from, and why it matters…