|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
State Rep. Shane Stringer, R-Citronelle, announced on Thursday that he has filed legislation which prohibits water boards and sewer commissions from banning or restricting recreational activities on lakes they own or control.
The legislation resulted from an abrupt decision by the Mobile Area Water System to permanently close Big Creek Lake to all recreational vehicles and activities, including fishing.
“Suddenly declaring an entire lake off limits without offering specific reasons or justification is unfair and hurts the quality of life for everyone who lives in the area,” Stringer said. “The residents of House District 102 are angry and upset at this bureaucratic nonsense, and I share their reaction, so if MAWS refuses to reverse its decision, the Legislature can certainly step in and reverse it for them.”
Big Creek Lake was temporarily closed in 2021, when an invasive plant species was detected, but MAWS offered no excuse for its most recent closure announcement beyond vague and nebulous claims that it would help preserve the water quality.
Under the provisions of House Bill 473, a water or sewer board “may not in any way restrict the public’s recreational use of a body of water, or portion thereof, owned or controlled by the board, including for fishing and boating.”
Public health departments, environmental agencies and similar departments governed by other portions of the Code of Alabama would maintain their authority to declare health emergencies and take necessary actions to safeguard the public from contaminated bodies of water and other threats.
The legislation has been referred to the House Boards, Agencies, and Commissions Committee chaired by State Rep. Margie Wilcox, R-Mobile.
