Last year, the Georgia Conservancy and other conservation groups got one of their biggest legislative wins in a long time, the passage of the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Act (GOSA). The passage of that act and subsequent approval by voters dedicated a permanent stream of revenue to conservation projects. Now, the conservancy looks ahead to a new session and has announced their hopes for a new session.
First up, some “housekeeping” regarding the GOSA. The conservancy will be seeking legislation to make adjustments on dates for grant and loan applications to comply with existing state laws, as well as to allow the fund to appropriate dollar to the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for fund administration. The changes would allow DNR to better implement and manage the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Trust Fund.
The conservancy, as it has since 1967, will continue to oppose any attempt to open the Georgia coast to oil and gas exploration. The Trump administration has pushed to open the waters for testing and exploration and previous governor Nathan Deal was silent on the issue. Back in October in an interview with the Brunswick News, now-Governor Brian Kemp said he opposed offshore drilling. “I support increasing our nation’s energy independence, but I do not support seismic testing or offshore drilling off the Georgia coast in order to do so,” Kemp said. “My priority as governor will be to protect our vibrant coastline, and ensure tourism and economic development and improve the lives of Georgians living in Brunswick and surrounding areas.”
Assuming that opinion still holds, the conservancy should have the governor as an ally on this issue.
In perhaps a surprise move, the conservancy will also support legislation that relaxes restrictions on oyster farming. Current law does not permit the farming of individual oysters through oyster cages. The tidal patterns of coastal Georgia are not conducive to naturally occurring single oysters – the type preferred by hungry humans – that settle and mature on the bottom. The powerful tides result in oysters clumping together for support and creates inconsistent size and shell structure. Proposed legislation would allow for cage farming to support the development of a sustainable and thriving oyster aquaculture industry.
The conservancy would also like to see the return of the Electric Vehicle Tax Credit. The General Assembly removed the credit of $5,000 for the purchase of zero emission vehicles in 2015. Prior to the removal of the credit, metro Atlanta had been among the leaders in electric vehicle sales. The removal of the credit saw a precipitous drop in purchases. Legislation last year that would have brought back a $2,500 credit – for vehicles under $60K, no Teslas folks – failed to pass out of committee.
Finally, they also support legislation that would ensure “dedicated fees” – funds that have been collected for a specific purpose – would actually go to the purpose for which they were dedicated. The tire fee is one of the biggest. Every new tire sold contains a $1 fee that is supposed to clean up dangerous tire dumps. In 2017 alone, auditors found that only $3.2 million of the $7.2 million collected actually went to that purpose. The conservancy, and likely several other groups, will advocate for a constitutional amendment that would prohibit fee diversion.
