ATLANTA — Georgia U.S. Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock are demanding the Trump administration reopen parks along Lake Lanier that are said to have closed over budget cuts.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which manages Lake Lanier, confirmed to Channel 2 Action News on Tuesday that it is planning to close more than 20 lakeside parks due to government budget cuts.
On Wednesday, both senators released statements, calling the move reckless:
“The White House must take immediate action to reopen these beautiful parks at Lake Lanier for Georgia families. This is a direct and predictable result of the Administration’s reckless and chaotic mismanagement,” Sen. Ossoff wrote.
“Lake Lanier is a favorite Memorial Day weekend destination for thousands of Georgia families, but because of this administration’s reckless cuts, 20 parks at Lake Lanier are indefinitely closed days before the start of summer. Enough is enough with these reckless cuts. Georgia families deserve better,” Sen. Warnock wrote.
Republican Rep. Rich McCormick posted on social media on Wednesday that not all of the planned recreation sites would be closing temporarily.
I spoke with the U.S. Army Corps today about the planned closures at Lake Lanier. I pushed hard for a better solution, and they listened. All boat ramps will remain open, and only 11 recreation sites will close temporarily, not the 21 originally planned.
— Congressman Rich McCormick, MBA MD (@RepMcCormick) May 22, 2025
I am grateful for the…
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Lake Lanier has 76 recreational areas. The US Army Corps of Engineers operates 37 parks and campgrounds, 10 marinas, and Lake Lanier Islands. It leases out 40 parks and campgrounds to local governments and other organizations.
The US Army Corps of Engineers had complained in the past about the rising costs of staffing and maintaining park recreational areas.
One boater told Channel 2’s Tom Regan that with the new emphasis on cutting federal expenditures, it makes sense for the USACE to shift that responsibility and a financial burden to local governments.
“With the cuts in the present administration, they’re probably going to leave the counties and states to take over a lot of these. I don’t know how it’s going to work out in the long run, but I guess we will see,” Greg Burke said.
But Channel 2 Action News also learned on Wednesday that the park closures are coming to more areas than just Lake Lanier.
Areas along Allatoona Lake, the Chattahoochee and Flint rivers, as well as a couple of lakes in North Georgia, will see parks and recreation areas being shut down by the USACE.
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