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Grassroots effort will push for the preservation of Lake Lanier’s water
levels

ATLANTA – (October 28, 2008) – Today a grassroots effort to reform current
management practices of Lake Sidney Lanier was announced in the way of the
1071 Coalition. Named for the feet above sea level at which Lake Lanier
should be in the summer recreation season, the coalition is comprised of
community leaders, business owners, chambers of commerce, residents and
other citizens in the Lake Lanier area concerned with the preservation of
the lake’s water levels and its impact on the region’s economy.

“Three and a half million people and businesses depend on Lake Lanier for
water supply and their livelihoods,” said Grier Todd, COO, Lake Lanier
Islands Resort and President of the 1071 Coalition. “Millions more depend on
the lake for recreation. Recent water management practices are hurting
Lanier’s ability to meet our water supply and recreation needs,” he said.

The Coalition has set out to reverse the management practices of the lake
through three initiatives:

   1.

      Commission a study on the impact of Lake Lanier on the area economy.
This data will be used to counter information disseminated by other states
and bolster Georgia’s case.
   2.

      Urge our federal and state officials to give this issue their highest
priority and take action in the best interests of Georgians, including the
commissioning of studies that determine the actual needs of endangered
species and minimal flow requirements throughout the system.
   3.

      Serve as a voice in the public relations fight between the states,
armed with data and experts.

“Businesses are hurting – even closing, and residents are losing property
values,” said Kit Dunlap, President and CEO, Greater Hall Chamber of
Commerce and Vice President of the 1071 Coalition. “Local governments have
implemented appropriate conservation measures and emergency operating
measures. Business and local governments are doing our part, because we are
feeling first-hand the devastating impact of the lake’s low levels.”

Through proper management, Lake Lanier would not be in its present state of
historically low levels, according to the coalition.  “This lake lost a
great deal of storage in October and November of last year,” said Alex
Laidlaw, Vice President, Operations of Westrec Marinas and Coalition Board
member. “Excessive releases were seven times greater than the natural
in-flow; those releases could have supplied metro Atlanta’s water needs for
well over a year.”

Part of the public relations battle in which the Coalition hopes to gain
ground is debunking the myths regarding Atlanta’s water consumption and how
reducing flows from the lake will impact other interests downstream. “Our
neighboring states are incorrect when trying to lay blame on Atlanta’s
population growth,” said Wilton Rooks, Vice President, Technical Programs
with the Lake Lanier Association and Coalition Board member. “Metro Atlanta
consumes just one to two percent of the water in the
Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) basin above the Florida line.”

Ninth District Congressman Nathan Deal, a supporter of the 1071 Coalition,
believes the flows can be reduced without threatening downstream users.
“Many diverse stakeholders within the basin are in agreement that there is
sufficient water in the ACF basin to meet reasonable needs without causing
harm to the environment or to the various users,” said Congressman Deal.
“We must push for alternative operating plans to manage our waters more
effectively.”

The 1071 Coalition plans to be an active participant in the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers update to Lanier’s water control plan.  “The water control plan
needs to maximize the ability of the lake to refill to provide a cushion in
times of drought, which have become much more frequent and severe in recent
years,” said Rooks. “Considering Lake Lanier has a small watershed and is
slow to fill, the Corps needs to conserve as much storage as possible at the
top of the ACF system.”

The 1071 Coalition will hold its kick-off reception and membership drive on
December 9, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. at Legacy Lodge and Conference Center on Lake
Lanier Islands. For more information, please visit www.1071Coalition.org.

About the 1071 Coalition:
The 1071 Coalition is a non-profit organization comprised of citizens, civic
groups, business and other entities dedicated to maintaining water levels in
Lake Sidney Lanier that sustain water supply, recreation, and economic
prosperity through the advocacy of appropriate, science-based water releases
necessary for the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river basin. Founding
members of the 1071 Coalition Board of Directors are:
Grier Todd, President     COO, Lake Lanier Islands Resort
Kit Dunlap, Vice President     President & CEO, Greater Hall Chamber of
Commerce
Wilton Rooks, Secretary     Vice President, Technical Programs, Lake
Lanier Association
Alex Laidlaw, Treasurer     Vice President Operations, Westrec Marinas
Kerry Armstrong     Sr. Vice President, Atlanta Office, Duke Realty
Philip Burton     Owner, Gainesville Marina
James McCoy     President & CEO, Cumming-Forsyth Chamber of Commerce
Johnny Crowe     Owner, Watersports Central
Terri Johndahl     CEO, CAB Incorporated
Jim Maran     President & CEO, Gwinnett County Chamber of Commerce
Frank Norton, Jr.     President, Norton Agency
Joni Owens     Owner, JLO Enterprises and Real Estate
Jon Stovall     Owner, Bald Ridge Marina
Jim Walters     President, Walters Management Company
Philip Wilheit, Sr.     President & CEO, Wilheit Packaging