US House C'tee Seeking Answers on Drought

Formerly submerged shoal marker and tree along the receding shoreline at West Point Lake. (file photo/Dave Bender)

The US House of Representatives small business subcommittee will meet on Tuesday in Lagrange in western Georgia to discuss the drought and its effect on local businesses.

Third district Republican Congressman Lynne Westmoreland, who represents a 15-county area around West Point Lake will host the field hearing.

The lake provides drinking water for Lagrange and some 24,000 area residents.

The committee will question Brigadier General Joseph Schroedel of the US Army Corp of Engineers southeastern region and Sam Hamilton, Southeast Regional Director of the US Fish and Wildlife Service about water levels and policies for the lake.

Westmoreland says his group is seeking answers as to why water use policies haven't been updated in the last half century:

"The last water manual that was written, went through the process and was approved was in 1958. So, you can see that it's been 50 years since we've done anything with the situation, and I think the Corps, Fish and Wildlife and others owe us an explanation."

Westmoreland said the group would also discuss a long-term solution for businesses in the vicinity that rely on the lake. Many are recreation-based and have been hard-hit by the drought.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of the drought.

Georgia Republicans vow no ear-marking

Half of Georgia’s Republicans have committed to end earmarking in the US House and pledged to give up pet spending requests for their districts. Paul Broun of Athens, Nathan Deal of Gainesville, Tom Price of Roswell, and Lynne Westmoreland of Granstville say they will forgo earmarks for at least one year.

Most of them are relatively new members who don’t have the seniority to fetch much spending. They are making their stand after their party lost power in the last election.

Democrat Sanford Bishop of Albany said, “It seems to me to be a little hypocritical given the fact that Republicans broke the record on earmarks when they were in the position to control them.”

But the Republicans say quitting earmarking will help reign in free-spending in Washington.

(The Associated Press)

New air service to Columbus

The Eclipse 500 is part of a new airplane category called "very light jets," and carries three passengers at speeds up to 425 mph — faster than the average propeller plane its size. (Wilfredo Lee/AP file)

A regional business air-carrier has just added Columbus to its roster of destinations in Georgia and across the southeast. DayJet bills itself as the world's first per-seat, on-demand jet service.

The carrier currently serves 45 destinations across the southeast, catering to business travelers able to pay premium prices. For example, a hop between just-added destinations, Columbus and Savannah, runs between $300 and $1,000 dollars.

While DayJet is aimed chiefly at Columbus's executive clientèle like AFLAC and Synovus, Georgia Third District Congressman Lynn Westmoreland says the increased flight options will bolster smaller industries, as well:

"With the hassle of airports and major hubs, now, we just think this is going to be the access for a lot of businesses; some of these businesses in outlying areas to have a chance of promoting business and getting people to come to their area, because they'll now have this transportation for people within the business."

Westmoreland, who sits on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and the aviation subcommittee says Ft. Benning's planned expansion will also benefit from the increased air traffic.

The training post is expected to see over 30,000 troops and dependents moving to the area over the next three years, as part of the Army's base relocation project:

"With the expansion of Ft. Benning, and all the things that Ft. Benning is doing, and the armor division coming down, and the new infantry museum... we just think that there needs to be just a little bit better regional service to the Columbus area. I think, right now, Delta has maybe two flights a day."

Westmoreland says DayJet may create a market more attractive to carriers like Delta, Airtran or Southwest.

A company spokesman says they'll be announcing other Georgia destinations in coming weeks.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of transportation issues.

Westmoreland, Corps meet over water issues

Dried-up boat dock at West Point Lake. (Dave Bender)

Congressman Lynne Westmoreland (R) met with US Army Corps of Engineers officials at the LaGrange City Hall Friday morning to discuss the drought's damage to West Point Lake, and the local economy.

Westmoreland met with Col. Byron Jorns, commander of the Corps Mobile District, and Steven Logan, operations manager of the West Point Project.

Westmoreland gave the Corps a letter requesting an immediate update, and details of any further talks between the Corps and the Department of Fish and Wildlife Service about water usage plans for the area, according to Chip Lake, Westmoreland's Chief of Staff.

After the meeting, Westmoreland, who represents the Third Congressional District, toured the lake on a pontoon boat in order to personally gauge the extent of the damage, Press Secretary Brian Robinson said.

Westmoreland later met with Lagrange and Troup Co. officials and local business leaders, specifically in the marine sport and hotel trades, to assess the extent of the economic damage to the area.

Westmoreland is interested in a longer-term solution to the dilemma of sharing water resources and conflicting needs between Georgia, Alabama and Florida, Robinson said.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of the drought.