State Environmental Issues
Congressman Doug Collins to be Member of Endangered Species Act Working Group
The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources has formed a group to examine the inner-workings of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The working group will be led by Representative Doc Hastings (R-Washington), and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming). Along with Hastings and Lummis, there will be 11 other members to help accomplish the group’s goals, including Congressman Doug Collins of the 6th district of Georgia. The Endangered Species Act (ESA), passed in 1973, mandated that the federal government has a responsibility to...
read moreCommon Sense Economic Development vs. Byzantine Environmental Regulations
Last week, Council for Quality Growth President & CEO Michael Paris presented in the AJC Op-Ed Section, a balanced perspective on protecting and respecting the environment and the states vital infrastructure and transportation needs. This is in response to a single Indiana Bat disrupting over $450 in infrastructure in Georgia. To read the editorial Click HERE To read contrasting editorials to the Council for Quality Growth by Cindy Dohner, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Glenn Bowman, administrator of Environmental Services...
read moreGeorgia Environmental Protection Division Erosion and Soil Control Stakeholders Group Reviewing Storm Buffer Variance Rules
As a result of the Council’s continued working relationship with Georgia EPD and the successful passage Senate Bill 460 in 2004, the Council was asked once again to serve on the Georgia Environmental Protection Division’s Erosion & Soil Control Rules (E&SC) Stakeholders group, which has been reconvened to advise EPD on a number of proposed rule changes regarding stream buffer variances. The Stakeholder’s group has met four times to provide input on these proposed rule changes. Council board member and President of Lynwood...
read moreGovernor Deal Optimistic on Subject of Funding for Savannah Harbor Expansion Project
On Tuesday, April 24th, Gov. Deal visited thePort of Savannah for a press conference regarding the passage of the State budget, including over $46 million in State funding for the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP). The additional funding brings the total State contribution to over $181 million. “We know that this project is important; not just for the Savannah area, it’s important for the state of Georgia, and it is also important for the United States,” said Gov. Deal. The Federal government has committed to pay for 60% of...
read moreSavannah Harbor Expansion Project Final Reports Released
The Army Corps of Engineers has released their final General Re-evaluation Report (GRR) and an Environmental Impact Study (EIS) regarding the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP). The GRR and EIS sought to analyze engineering alternatives, environmental impacts, and the costs and benefits of the SHEP, in addition to projecting future attributes of shipping fleets and trade routes. The final report was created with the assistance of several Federal and State agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency and the Georgia Ports...
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