The federal government‘s announcement that 20 parks around Lake Lanier would close because of staff shortages triggered a scramble ahead of the Memorial Day holiday.
Republicans who represent the reservoir and popular recreational destination in North Georgia successfully lobbied the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to reduce the closures.
Meanwhile, Democrats highlighted what they considered the latest casualty of President Donald Trump’s government-shrinking agenda just before the unofficial kickoff of summer.
Georgia U.S. Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock both issued scathing public statements that called the move disastrous, with Ossoff labeling it a “direct and predictable result of the Administration’s reckless and chaotic mismanagement.”
Republicans who worked behind the scenes to blunt the closures included U.S. Reps. Rich McCormick and Andrew Clyde, and state Sen. Greg Dolezal of Cumming, who called the plan “nonsensical and infuriating.”
Dolezal celebrated after the agency said it would keep nine of the 20 sites along the lake open for now.
“They will continue to assess traffic and adjust as needed through the weekend,” he said, adding: “I’m happy for some movement here and do appreciate people working together versus digging in.”
McCormick, R-Suwanee, was the first to announce the Corps’ change of heart.
“I pushed hard for a better solution, and they listened,” he wrote on X, adding that all boat ramps providing access to the lake would remain open.
Lake Lanier, which has more than 10 million visitors annually, spans both McCormick’s and Clyde’s districts. Clyde said he got involved after the initial announcement and “pressed the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to reach a more acceptable solution to safely increase access to sites on Lake Lanier.”
After the partial reversal, Clyde encouraged families to continue with their intentions to visit but with a plan in place.
— Staff writer Alia Pharr contributed to this report.
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