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April 29, 2008

Conasauga River Paddle Trip set for May 10

Submitted by Coosa River Basin Initiative

The Coosa River Basin Initiative’s Gordon County-based chapter organization, the New Echota Rivers Alliance (NERA), will host a canoe/kayak trip down the Conasauga River In Whitfield County May 10. This four hour paddle will take participants down part of what is considered one of the most biologically diverse rivers in North America.

The Conasauga has receive much attention during the last few months because of the discovery of perfluorootanoic acids, or PFOAs, in the river and in the drinking water of the City of Dalton.

PFOAs, chemicals used to create stain resistant carpet, though currently unregulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), have been linked to health risk in humans. CRBI in Rome recently signed on to a letter from the United Steelworkers to EPA and Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division calling on the environmental regulators to monitor PFOAs in the Conasauga.

“NERA and CRBI are concerned about this issue, especially considering the special nature of the Conasauga River,” said Joe Cook, CRBI Executive Director & Riverkeeper. “The river host 90 different fish species and 25 species of freshwater mussels. It is a real biological treasure trove. This is a chance for citizens to see what is at stake on the Conasauga River.”

Participants will meet at the Beaverdale Superette on GA Hwy. 2 at 10:00 A.M. The trip is free to NERA and CRBI members. Membership dues are $35 and participants can join online at www.coosa.org. Canoe rentals are available for $32.

Additional NERA-sponsored paddle trips will be held June 21, August 2, and September 27 on local rivers. For more information or to register to participate and reserve your canoe, contact David L. Harrison at 770-547-2275 or e-mail at dlbharrison @yahoo.com.

CRBI is a 501c3 non-profit organization and member of the international Waterkeeper Alliance. Its mission is to inform and empower citizens so that they may become involved in the process of creating a cleaner, healthier, more economically viable Coosa River Basin. NERA is a chapter of CRBI working to protect the rivers and streams of the Oostanaula watershed of North Georgia.



FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT JOE COOK AT 706-232-2724 OR AT JCOOK@COOSA.ORG

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