CORPS ANNOUNCES MORATORIUM ON NEW DOCK PERMIT APPLICATIONS AT LAKE LANIER

The following letter was issued by the U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers recently, in regard to the status of dock permits on Lake Lanier:

CORPS ANNOUNCES MORATORIUM ON NEW DOCK PERMIT APPLICATIONS AT LAKE LANIER

Lake Sidney Lanier, GA – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Lake Sidney  Lanier will begin implementation of a moratorium on accepting new  appointments/applications for private boat dock permits on Friday, April 27, 2007.      “This moratorium is necessary to allow project personnel to address the  numerous existing applications and appointments to determine where the project  stands in relation to the maximum carrying capacity identified in the 2004 Shoreline  Management Plan,” said Jonathan Davis, Operations Project Manager, Lake Sidney  Lanier.      In December 2004, following two years of study and public involvement, the  Corps completed an update of the Lake Lanier Shoreline Management Plan and an   Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).  The Lake Lanier Shoreline Management Plan  addresses several lake management objectives, one of particular interest is the total  carrying capacity, or density, for private boat docks on the shoreline.  The Plan and  the EIS established a maximum carrying capacity of 10,615 boat docks.  In order to  comply with the EIS and Shoreline Management Plan, once the 10,615 number is  reached no new dock permits can be issued.      “The moratorium is necessary for us to complete the evaluation and processing  of pending dock permit applications and appointments which have been received to  date,” said Davis.  “The moratorium will be in place for 120 days to allow us to do  this.”      The moratorium does not affect the normal processing for existing dock permits  (i.e. reissue upon expiration or transfer of ownership). -more-

CORPS MORITORIUM ON DOCK PERMITS LAKE LANIER  2-2-2    Following the moratorium the Corps will then have an exact number of  remaining dock permits that could be issued if the current number does not exceed  the 10,615.  There are approximately 500 available permits remaining.  The  moratorium will give project personnel the necessary time to process what is currently  on hand to determine how many of those qualify for a dock permit and then determine  how many, if any, remain.    ` 

For additional information or questions contact the Corps at 770-945-9531.   For daily lake level information call 770-945-1467.  Thirty-day lake level forecasts and  historical lake level information can be viewed on the Corps water management  website (http://water.sam.usace.army.mil)    -30-