The US House of Representatives Small Business subcommittee convened at West Point Technical College in Lagrange on Tuesday to gather testimony on the impact of the 2006-2007 drought on Georgia's economy.
Third district Republican Congressman Lynn Westmoreland heard testimony from local representatives, and Army Corps of Engineers and Fish and Wildlife officials about the epic drought's effect on West Point Lake and the area.
Brig. Gen. Joseph Schroedel, Commander of the South Atlantic Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and US Fish and Wildlife Service Sout heast Regional Director Sam Hamilton give testimony at the hearing. Behind them is a map of bodies of water in western Georgia affected by the drought. (Dave Bender)
Westmoreland questioned the Corps Brigadier General Joseph Schroedel and Sam Hamilton, of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, about their agencies' water policies on the lake.
Fourth District Congressman Henry “Hank” Johnson Jr. (D), who chaired the hearing, listens to testimony at the session, as Third District Congressman Lynne Westmoreland (R) reads documents detailing state water policies. (Dave Bender)
Community and business leaders say current policies are hurting them. Many of the businesses are recreation-based, and rely on the lake.
Westmoreland says some progress had been achieved at the meeting, saying the Corps would let West Point Lake and Lake Lanier store more water.
But he also was hoping for higher intervention to help the situation:
“So, we are making progress. Are we where we need to be yet? No, because we have to have some response from God, too, to let this rainfall come into areas that we need it.”Over 200 residents attended the session, which was held at West Georgia Technical College in nearby LaGrange. The lake provides water for LaGrange.
Over 200 area leaders, businesses representatives, and residents attended the hearing. (Dave Bender)
Click here for more GPB News coverage of the drought.
