Environmental groups plan to sue city of Atlanta, Hartsfield-Jackson over pollution in Flint River
The Flint Riverkeeper and the Southern Environmental Law Center say they plan to sue the City of Atlanta and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport over what the environmental groups say is the ongoing illegal pollution of the nearby Flint River.
On Wednesday, the organizations sent Mayor Andre Dickens and Airport General Manager Ricky Smith a notice of their intent to file a lawsuit in 60 days under part of the Clear Water Act.
The Flint River begins as a small stream in East Point and travels through pipes under the airport's runways. Its path spans more than 200 miles before it eventually merges with the Chattahoochee River to form the Apalachicola River, which then ends at the Gulf of America.
The Flint Riverkeeper says there has been three major fuel spills from the Atlanta airport this year, including one over Memorial Day that leaked thousands of gallons of fuel into the River.
"For years, the airport has repeatedly spilled jet fuel, sewage, deicing fluid, and other pollutants from its stormwater and sewage infrastructure into the Flint River, Sullivan Creek, and Mud Creek," a spokesperson for the Southern Environmental Law Center said in a release. "Trash clearly originating from the airport, including luggage tags and earplugs, routinely flows into the Flint when it rains."
The groups say they have detected elevated levels of polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly called "forever chemicals," downstream that exceed federal drinking water limits. Multiple Georgia cities and counties use the river as a source of drinking water.
"Despite Flint Riverkeeper's decade-long efforts to work alongside and encourage airport officials to address its pollution, allowing this pattern to continue is unacceptable for the downstream communities, farmers, businesses, paddlers, hunters, and anglers that depend on a clean, healthy river," Flint Riverkeeper Gordon Rogers said. "These spills are not one-time events — no one should have to worry about their water smelling and tasting like jet fuel when they turn on the tap or walk down to the river's edge. We hope the City of Atlanta will take immediate action to address this pollution and be better stewards of the Flint River."
CBS News Atlanta has reached out to officials with the City of Atlanta and Hartsfield-Jackson. A spokesperson for the city said that they would not comment, citing the pending litigation.
