HR100: HR100 House Study Committee on the Cumulative Impact of Pollution on Economic Development and Growth; create

25 LC 44 2948 House Resolution 100 By: Representatives Schofield of the 63rd, Townsend of the 179th, Drenner of the 85th, Davis of the 87th, Scott of the 76th, and others A RESOLUTION Creating the House Study Committee on the Cumulative Impact of Pollution on Economic1 Development and Growth; and for other purposes.2 WHEREAS, pollution negatively impacts the health of a community and its economic3 prospects, thus furthering cycles of poverty; and4 WHEREAS, a concentration of industrial facilities in a community leads to blight and limited5 amenities that contribute to lower property values and less funding for public schools, also6 furthering cycles of poverty; and7 WHEREAS, proximity to a facility that needs a risk management p lan is associated with8 significantly lower home values; and9 WHEREAS, employers and businesses such as grocery stores, food services, healthcare10 providers, hotels, and professional service centers prefer to n ot be located near industrial11 centers, thus limiting the job prospects for community resident s and furthering cycles of12 poverty; and13 H. R. 100 - 1 - 25 LC 44 2948 WHEREAS, Georgia's leading economic engine, agriculture, is put at risk by air, soil, and14 water pollution that can potentially stunt crop growth and affect both Georgia's economy and15 the food security of all Georgians; and16 WHEREAS, in Georgia there are more than 1 million resident anglers who collectively spend17 8.7 million days a year on the water, and more than 650,000 hunters who collectively spend18 8.9 million days a year in the field. The combination of these activities accounts for over $219 billion in retail sales, $3 billion in ripple effects, and more than 38,000 jobs; this vital20 economic engine is also put at risk by pollution; and21 WHEREAS, conditions such as severe asthma, nervous system damag e, cardiovascular22 disease, dangerous pregnancy outcomes, heart disease, and vario us forms of cancer can23 cluster in polluted areas, areas near highways, and areas near industrial plants; addressing the24 environmental causes of disease is important for the health of communities, but also for the25 economic prosperity of the state; and26 WHEREAS, in 2020 the average life expectancy in the United States was 77 years of age,27 but in Georgia, the average life expectancy was 75.6 years of a ge, which constitutes the28 fifteenth worst life expectancy of any state in the nation; and29 WHEREAS, Georgia tied for second among states with the highest prevalence of childhood30 asthma in 2021, with 9.7 percent of Georgia's children suffering from the condition, and the31 total cost of asthma related hospitalizations among Georgia children totaled $41.6 million;32 and33 H. R. 100 - 2 - 25 LC 44 2948 WHEREAS, studies have shown that simply reducing heavy-duty truck traffic by half could34 decrease air quality warning days, thus allowing 16,000 more Ge orgians to play outside,35 eliminate 2,700 sick days, and overall provide $200 million in annual economic benefit; and36 WHEREAS, flooding of infrastructure such as concrete and overburdened storm-water and37 waste-water systems, which are typically found in highly indust rialized areas, is another38 source of pollution and negative economic impact on communities; and39 WHEREAS, all citizens of this state should have access to clean air, water, and sustainable40 infrastructure; and41 WHEREAS, careful study is necessary to determine policy and leg islative solutions for42 sustainable, economically viable, and healthy communities.43 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:44 (1) Creation of House study committee. There is created the House Study Committee45 on the Cumulative Impact of Pollution on Economic Development and Growth.46 (2) Members and officers. The committee shall be composed of 11 members to be47 appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives:48 (A) Five members of the House of Representatives;49 (B) One representative of the Environmental Protection Division of the Department of50 Natural Resources;51 (C) One representative of the Department of Agriculture;52 (D) One representative of the Department of Human Services;53 (E) One representative of academia or the nonprofit or scienti fic community who54 specializes in the study of pollution;55 H. R. 100 - 3 - 25 LC 44 2948 (F) One individual who represents a nonprofit entity with know ledge relative to56 Georgia pollution impacts; and57 (G) One community member who sits at the intersection of pollu tion and economic58 development.59 The Speaker shall designate a legislative member of the committee as chairperson of the60 committee.61 (3) Powers and duties. The committee shall undertake a study of the conditions, needs,62 issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and recommend any action or63 legislation which the committee deems necessary or appropriate.64 (4) Meetings. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the committee. The committee65 may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or66 convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and67 accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution.68 (5) Allowances, expenses, and funding.69 (A) The legislative members of the committee shall receive the allowances provided70 for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.71 (B) Members of the committee who are state officials, other than legislative members,72 or who are state employees shall receive no compensation for th eir services on the73 committee, but they may be reimbursed for expenses incurred by them in the74 performance of their duties as members of the committee in the same manner as they75 are reimbursed for expenses in their capacities as state officials or employees.76 (C) Members of the committee who are not legislators, state of ficials, or state77 employees shall receive a daily expense allowance in an amount the same as that78 specified in subsection (b) of Code Section 45-7-21 of the Offi cial Code of Georgia79 Annotated, as well as the mileage or transportation allowance a uthorized for state80 employees.81 H. R. 100 - 4 - 25 LC 44 2948 (D) The allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any member82 of the committee for more than five days unless additional days are authorized. Funds83 necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from funds84 appropriated to the House of Representatives; except that funds for the reimbursement85 of the expenses of state officials, other than legislative memb ers, and for the86 reimbursement of the expenses of state employees shall come from funds appropriated87 to or otherwise available to their respective agencies.88 (6) Report.89 (A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that90 include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file a report of the91 same prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolut ion, subject to92 subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.93 (B) In the event the committee adopts a report that does not i nclude suggestions for94 proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file the report, subject to subparagraph (C)95 of this paragraph.96 (C) No report shall be filed unless the same has been approved prior to the date of97 abolishment specified in this resolution by majority vote of a quorum of the committee. 98 A report so approved shall be signed by the chairperson of the committee and filed with99 the Clerk of the House of Representatives.100 (D) In the absence of an approved report, the chairperson may file with the Clerk of the101 House of Representatives a copy of the minutes of the meetings of the committee in lieu102 thereof.103 (7) Abolishment. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2025.104 H. R. 100 - 5 -