HB562: HB562 Natural Resources, Department of; five-year moratorium on acceptance of applications for new or requests to modify existing permits; provisions

Trail Ridge is a ridge of land bordering the Okefenokee Swamp that has been the site of proposed surface mining projects. This bill would add a new section to Georgia's surface mining law (O.C.G.A. Title 12, Chapter 4) creating a five-year pause on new mining activity there. Starting July 1, 2025 and running through June 30, 2030, the Environmental Protection Division within the Department of Natural Resources would not be allowed to accept any new permit applications for surface mining on Trail Ridge, nor accept any requests to expand the area covered by an existing permit there. The bill defines Trail Ridge's geographic boundaries using watershed and elevation markers. It also carves out an exemption: applications or modification requests already submitted and deemed complete by the division on or before June 30, 2025 would still be allowed to move forward, meaning the division could still approve or deny those pending requests.

• Adds a new Code section (O.C.G.A. § 12-4-85) creating a five-year moratorium on new surface mining permits for Trail Ridge, from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2030.
• Blocks the Environmental Protection Division from accepting requests to modify existing surface mining permits on Trail Ridge if the change would expand the affected land area.
• Defines 'Trail Ridge' by specific geographic boundaries tied to the Okefenokee Swamp watershed, elevation, and named watershed divides.
• Exempts any permit applications or modification requests already submitted and deemed complete by the division on or before June 30, 2025 from the moratorium.
• Repeals any existing laws that conflict with the new moratorium.

Mining companies seeking new or expanded surface mining permits on Trail Ridge, the Environmental Protection Division of the Department of Natural Resources, which processes those permits, and nearby communities and ecosystems connected to the Okefenokee Swamp watershed.

For five years, no new or expanded surface mining could begin on Trail Ridge, an area bordering the Okefenokee Swamp, meaning companies could not get fresh approval to mine or grow existing operations there, while any applications already filed before mid-2025 could still proceed.

• Section 1 adds Code section 12-4-85 defining Trail Ridge by its geographic boundaries, referencing watershed divides and a 100-foot elevation line.
• Subsection (b) imposes the core moratorium: no new permit applications or expansion requests accepted from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2030.
• Subsection (c) exempts applications or modification requests submitted and deemed complete on or before June 30, 2025, allowing the division to still approve or deny them.
• Section 2 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)

• surface mining
• Okefenokee Swamp
• environmental permits
• Trail Ridge
• land use