The Environmental Protection Agency has released a list of potentially hazardous coal ash ponds, and one of them is in Milledgeville. It is only one listed in Georgia. The agency says it will inspect each of the 44 sites across the country to make sure they are structurally sound. 'the ash ponds are similar to one in Tennessee that collapsed, sending ash and sludge into a neighborhood, damaging 40 homes and contaminating a river. The EPA says the sites are being listed as hazardous because they are near where people live, not because they have found any problems. Officials with Georgia Power say they inspect the coal ash pond at Plant Branch regularly and have not found any problems. Coal ash is a by product from burning coal to produce electricity.
The Bibb County Commissions has adopted its 2010 budget. It goes into effect Wednesday. The budget is just over 115-million dollars and includes a probable tax increase. That translates into an additional 13 dollars a year for a 100-thousand dollar home.
A new state law could make hundreds of Bibb County students eligible for transfers. According to the Telegraph, House Bill 251 allows parents to move their children to different schools if those schools have space. The law goes into effect Wednesday and requires school systems to notify parents about the option. The law does not allow students to transfer to newly built schools. Nineteen Bibb County schools are on the list of eligible schools. So far 50 parents have requested information about transfers.
