Central Savannah River Area Regional Commission

Central Savannah River Area Regional Commission
Name	Central Savannah River Area Regional Commission
Formation	1970s
Type	Regional planning and development agency
Headquarters	Augusta, Georgia
Region served	Augusta metropolitan area and surrounding counties in Georgia and South Carolina
Leader title	Executive Director

Central Savannah River Area Regional Commission is a regional planning and development agency serving a multi-county area in the Augusta, Georgia–South Carolina border region. The commission coordinates regional planning initiatives, infrastructure programs, and economic development efforts across constituent counties and municipalities. It acts as a conduit among federal entities such as the United States Department of Commerce, state agencies including the Georgia Department of Community Affairs and the South Carolina Department of Commerce, and local governments like the City of Augusta, Georgia and the City of Aiken, South Carolina.

History

The commission traces its origins to the expansion of state and federal initiatives in the 1960s and 1970s that created regional planning commissions across the United States, influenced by legislation such as the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act and programs of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1965. Early collaborations involved the Augusta National Golf Club region and nearby military installations like Fort Gordon (Georgia), shaping postwar suburban growth patterns. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s the commission engaged with energy concerns tied to the Savannah River Site and transportation projects connected to the Interstate 20 corridor. In the 21st century the commission coordinated responses to federal stimulus initiatives under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and partnered with metropolitan planning organizations such as the Augusta-Richmond County Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Organization and Governance

Governance is through a board composed of elected officials from member counties and cities, often including representatives from Richmond County, Georgia, Columbia County, Georgia, Aiken County, South Carolina, and Edgefield County, South Carolina. The board appoints an executive director who interfaces with state governors from Georgia and South Carolina and with federal agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency when addressing cross-jurisdictional matters. Committees reflect focuses tied to the United States Department of Transportation programs, workforce development linked to the Department of Labor (United States), and public health coordination with agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Member Counties and Jurisdictions

Member jurisdictions span Georgia and South Carolina and commonly include Richmond County, Georgia, Columbia County, Georgia, McDuffie County, Georgia, Lincoln County, Georgia, Aiken County, South Carolina, Edgefield County, South Carolina, and Barnwell County, South Carolina. Participating municipalities often include the City of Augusta, Georgia, City of Aiken, South Carolina, City of Grovetown, Georgia, City of Harlem, Georgia, and the Town of North Augusta, South Carolina. Military and federal sites such as Fort Gordon (Georgia) and the federal Savannah River Site influence jurisdictional planning and intergovernmental coordination.

Programs and Services

Programs address infrastructure investment, community development block grants associated with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, workforce training in partnership with the Technical College System of Georgia and the South Carolina Technical College System, and emergency preparedness tied to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Services include grant writing, project management, comprehensive planning aligned with Metropolitan Planning Organization requirements, and technical assistance for local schools and institutions like the University of Georgia extension programs and Augusta University. The commission supports transportation planning connected to Interstate 520 (Georgia–South Carolina) and rail initiatives involving the Norfolk Southern Railway corridor.

Regional Planning and Economic Development

Regional strategies emphasize coordination with economic actors such as the Savannah River National Laboratory and private employers in manufacturing and logistics along the Fall Line Freeway. The commission develops comprehensive plans integrating land use considerations near the Savannah River and industrial sites, supports small business development tied to the Small Business Administration, and facilitates workforce pipelines into installations like Fort Gordon (Georgia), healthcare institutions including Piedmont Augusta, and educational centers such as Paine College. It also liaises with state-level economic development authorities like the Georgia Department of Economic Development and the South Carolina Coordinating Council for Economic Development.

Funding and Budget

Funding sources include federal grants from agencies such as the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and the United States Department of Transportation, state pass-through funding from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs and the South Carolina Department of Commerce, and dues from member counties and municipalities like Richmond County, Georgia and Aiken County, South Carolina. Project-specific financing has included allocations tied to the Economic Development Administration (United States) and matching funds from local partners including private employers and institutions like Augusta University Health.

Notable Projects and Impact

Notable initiatives involve regional water resource planning connected to the Savannah River Compact, infrastructure upgrades along corridors such as U.S. Route 1 in Georgia, downtown revitalization efforts in Augusta, Georgia and Aiken, South Carolina, and workforce development partnerships supporting the Savannah River Site workforce transition. The commission has facilitated grant-funded projects for broadband expansion in rural counties, coordinated flood mitigation efforts after storm events linked to Hurricane Katrina-era policy shifts, and supported economic resilience programs responding to defense base realignment processes similar to those affecting installations like Fort Gordon (Georgia).

Category:Organizations based in Georgia (U.S. state) Category:Organizations based in South Carolina