HB561: HB561 Okefenokee Protection Act; enact

The Okefenokee Swamp's water levels and drainage depend heavily on Trail Ridge, a raised geological feature along its eastern edge. Trail Ridge also contains heavy mineral sands that have drawn two major mining proposals over the past 25 years, both facing strong public opposition. This bill responds directly to that mining pressure. The bill, titled the 'Okefenokee Protection Act,' adds a new section to Georgia's surface mining law (O.C.G.A. Title 12, Chapter 4). It defines Trail Ridge by specific geographic boundaries and then bars the director of the Environmental Protection Division from issuing, modifying, or renewing any surface mining permit, or accepting any mining bond, for operations on Trail Ridge. The ban applies to any permit application or amendment submitted on or after July 1, 2025. The bill also states legislative findings about the swamp's ecological, cultural, and historic importance to Georgia.

• Adds a new Code section (O.C.G.A. § 12-4-85) banning the Environmental Protection Division director from issuing, modifying, or renewing surface mining permits on Trail Ridge.
• Prohibits the director from accepting any mining bond tied to surface mining operations on Trail Ridge.
• Applies the ban to any permit application or amendment submitted on or after July 1, 2025, leaving earlier permits unaffected by this specific rule.
• Defines Trail Ridge using specific geographic boundaries tied to elevation, watersheds, and the Okefenokee Swamp itself.
• States legislative findings describing the swamp's ecological, cultural, and tourism significance to justify the mining restriction.

The bill affects mining companies seeking to extract heavy mineral sands from Trail Ridge, the Environmental Protection Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, which issues mining permits, and residents, indigenous communities, and tourism businesses connected to the Okefenokee Swamp.

If enacted, mining companies would be unable to get new permits, permit renewals, or amendments for surface mining on Trail Ridge starting July 1, 2025, effectively blocking future mineral sand extraction there and preserving the swamp's water drainage patterns that depend on the ridge.

• Section 1 names the bill the 'Okefenokee Protection Act.'
• Section 2 lays out legislative findings on the swamp's statewide significance and the risks surface mining on Trail Ridge poses to wetlands, water quality, wildlife habitat, and cultural heritage.
• Section 3 adds new Code section 12-4-85, defining Trail Ridge's boundaries and prohibiting the EPD director from issuing, modifying, renewing, or bonding surface mining permits there for applications submitted on or after July 1, 2025.
• Section 4 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-02-24House Second Readers (House)
2. 2025-02-21House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-02-20House Hopper (House)

• Darlene Taylor (R, HD-173)Primary sponsor
• Ron Stephens (R, HD-164)
• Steven Sainz (R, HD-180)
• Gerald Greene (R, HD-154)
• Debbie Buckner (D, HD-137)
• Carolyn Hugley (D, HD-141)

• Okefenokee Swamp
• surface mining regulation
• environmental protection
• Trail Ridge
• natural resources policy