CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — The world’s busiest airport is set to be sued, accused of leaking fuel and forever chemicals into a river that provides drinking water for 400,000 metro Atlantans.
The Flint Riverkeeper filed the required precursor of a lawsuit this week.
He told Channel 2’s Michael Doudna this has been an issue for years.
From small beginnings, the Flint River becomes the lifeblood for 400,000 Georgians.
“And you look at it, it’s like, whoa, really? Something that small? Well, yeah, which makes it even more valuable and more sensitive to being polluted,” said Gordon Rogers, Flint Riverkeeper.
Rogers says the river is being polluted with repeated leaks of everything from jet fuel to forever chemicals.
“These people are literally like the teenager that won’t clean up their room,” he said.
And Rogers says this keeps happening.
Already this year he says they have dealt with three different spills and often noticed things washing downstream, from baggage tags to what looks to be a strap from an airplane, not to mention all the fuel and chemicals that went into the water as well.
“What’s happened recently is that Flint Riverkeeper has run out of patience,” Rogers said.
So this week, the Riverkeeper announced plans to sue the airport over claims of violating federal laws that he says puts the public and environment at risk.
“It is a last resort, right? You know, they have not done what they need to do to prevent these types of spills from recurring and discharging into the river,” said April Lipscomb, Southern Environmental Law Center lawyer.
She says recent samples after spills showed high levels of E. coli and found levels of forever chemicals like PFAS were nearly 10 times the federal limits.
“What’s at stake here is the health of this river and the drinking water for 400,000 people downstream,” Lipscomb said.
Rogers hopes the lawsuit leads to changes to keep people safe and hold the airport accountable.
Doudna did reach out to the city and the airport to get their response, but they say they cannot comment on potential litigation.
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