Deke Copenhaver
Mayor of Augusta
Deke Copenhaver, an environmentalist who once headed the Central Savannah Land Trust, has made enough progress during his tenure as mayor to encourage unprecedented ambition for Georgia’s second largest city and former capital.
“In 25 years I believe Augusta will be the most thriving mid-sized city in the Southeast. We have the foundation, from the Masters Golf Tournament to the legacy of James Brown, and the business infrastructure, powered by the Savannah River Site [in South Caro-lina], Medical College of Georgia, Fort Gordon and Plant Vogtle [in Burke County]. The key is to put the building blocks in place to get us there.
“As a result of our first citywide master plan completed in September, we have created an Augusta Sustain-able Development Agenda. In the next 25 years, we want to lead the nation in bioscience as well as new energy technology – wind, solar and nuclear. As the Savannah River Site completes its mission of cleaning up nuclear waste, we see additional opportunities for new technologies and missions as [those] 1,700 acres become available. We have the potential to be an energy hub. And given the activity at Fort Gordon, we will continue to be a leader in information technology as well, as the Army continues to supply a first-rate IT work force.”
It is hard to imagine Augusta absorbing rapid growth after years of little activity, but Plant Vogtle’s two new nuclear plants are expected to create 8,000 jobs – one thousand a year over the next eight years, “not all at once like Columbus,” says Copenhaver. “I believe you will see more green development and LEED-certified buildings. You will see more of a focus on the redevelopment of urban areas in order to protect Augusta’s rural character – the Savannah River and the canals and swamps.
“We already have a strong green foundation. People don’t think about it, but we’re the electric car capital of the world because of our three companies: Tomberlin Group, E-Z-GO and Club Car. When you get companies like that to work together synergistically, it’s a great resource for Augusta going green. Given what we’re seeing in the Gulf, it’s time to put an emphasis on alternative energy – not just on the national level, but on the local level. When you consider what we have to work with here, it’s doable, and that’s my goal.” – Ben Young
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