Effingham County and Municipalities
Coastal Incentive Grants:
The following Coastal Incentive Grant projects were either submitted directly by one of the Effingham County local governments or by one of the government agencies that provides services to Effingham County and its municipalities.
Effingham County Countywide Stormwater Management Program; submitted by the Effingham County Board of Commissioners and funded for two years, October 2002 ($100,000) and October 2003 ($100,000). GA DNR CRD will provide a total of $200,000 for this two-year project that involves the development of a countywide stormwater management plan. This plan will be used as a tool for the management of the drainage system, including activities such as regulation of development, maintenance of storm water quality, and development of phased improvements to the infrastructure. This project involved the collection of existing data, field research to collect additional data, creation of a project database, development of a countywide storm drainage analysis and report, formation of draft rules and regulations for future development, and public education and involvement through public hearings.
Rincon Watershed Assessment; submitted by the City of Rincon and funded in October 2002. GA DNR CRD provided $25,000 to assist in the watershed assessment for the City of Rincon.
Conservation Education Program; submitted by the Coastal Soil and Water Conservation District and funded for 5 years from April 1998 - September 2003. GA DNR CRD has provided $69,448 through which a number of Best Management Practice workshops for landowners, local government staff and students in the Coastal SWCD service area. Workshops have focused on: Erosion & Sediment Control for construction sites (scholarships were provided for local government staff to attend), Conservation Tillage (No-Till Drill) Demonstrations and Litter Spreader Demonstrations for agricultural interests, and Forestry Best Management Practices. The award provided various conservation brochures and materials for distribution in the service area.
Regional Circuit Rider Planner for Respective Local Governments in Coastal Georgia; submitted by the Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center and funded from April 1998 - September 2001. GA DNR CRD provided $50,000 to fund a regional environmental planner to provide technical planning and GIS assistance to local governments and agencies to better enable them to meet the Part V Environmental Standards of the 1989 Georgia Planning Act.
Technical Assistance to Effingham County and Its Municipalities:
The technical assistant for Effingham County is Jill Huntington, whose activities within the county have included:
• Working with the University of Georgia Marine Extension Service/Coastal Georgia NEMO (Non-point Education for Municipal Officials) program and the Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center to implement the Lower Ogeechee River Watershed Initiative and provide technical assistance and resources for open space and conservation planning.
• Meeting with the County Board of Commission to describe the types of assistance and services offered by the GCMP, and discussing with elected officials and county staff basic natural resource issues and the need for grants to address them.
• Attending Board of Commission meetings when natural resource or Coastal Incentive Grant issues are scheduled for discussion.
• Attending several regional meetings also attended by the Mayors of Rincon and Springfield and discussing issues and solutions related to wetlands loss and tree preservation.
• Working with the Effingham County Greenspace Program by providing information on the natural resources on properties being considered for permanent protection and attending public meetings related to the Countys Greenspace program.
• Participating in the Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center's update of the county's Short Term Work Plan in 2001, and helping to identify sources of funding for projects listed within the County's Comprehensive Management Plan.
• Hosting two Coastal Greenspace Program Managers Workshops, attended by Effingham County staff.
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