HR 1665: House Study Committee on Environmental Protection Division Permit and Variance Procedures and Rights to Review; create

The Environmental Protection Division (EPD) of the Department of Natural Resources regulates air quality, water quality, hazardous waste, solid waste, surface mining, underground storage tanks and similar activities across Georgia, issuing and enforcing permits and variances. This resolution does not change any of EPD's rules directly. Instead it creates the House Study Committee on Environmental Protection Division Permit and Variance Procedures and Rights to Review, made up of seven House members appointed by the Speaker, who also names the chairperson. The committee would study EPD's procedures for granting, denying, revoking, or amending permits and variances, and look at what administrative or judicial review options exist for people or businesses affected by those decisions. It can recommend legislation, meets at the chairperson's call, and members get standard legislative allowances for up to five days unless more are approved. The committee would be abolished on December 1, 2026.

• Creates a seven-member House study committee focused on EPD permit and variance procedures, with members appointed by the Speaker of the House.
• Directs the committee to study how EPD grants, denies, revokes, or amends permits and variances and how affected parties can seek review.
• Authorizes the committee to recommend legislation or other state action based on its findings.
• Sets member pay using existing legislative allowance rules (O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8), capped at five days unless extended.
• Requires any approved findings or report to be filed with the Clerk of the House before the committee is abolished.
• Automatically abolishes the committee on December 1, 2026.

The Environmental Protection Division and Department of Natural Resources, House members appointed to the committee, and businesses or individuals who hold or seek EPD permits and variances, including those in air quality, water quality, solid waste, hazardous waste, and mining industries.

If problems in EPD's permitting or review process are affecting businesses, landowners, or communities, this committee could surface issues and propose changes to state law. It does not change any permit rules itself, only sets up a study process that ends by December 2026.

• Paragraph (1) creates the House Study Committee on Environmental Protection Division Permit and Variance Procedures and Rights to Review.
• Paragraph (2) sets committee membership at seven House members, all appointed by the Speaker, who also designates the chairperson.
• Paragraph (3) charges the committee with studying EPD permit and variance procedures and related review rights and recommending action or legislation.
• Paragraph (5) limits paid allowances to five days per member unless additional days are authorized, funded from House appropriations.
• Paragraph (6) requires any approved report or findings to be filed with the Clerk of the House before the committee's abolishment date.
• Paragraph (7) abolishes the committee on December 1, 2026.

1. 2026-03-25House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
2. 2026-03-18House Second Readers (House)
3. 2026-03-16House First Readers (House)
4. 2026-03-12House Hopper (House)

• Rick Townsend (R, HD-179)Primary sponsor
• Ron Stephens (R, HD-164)
• Lynn Smith (R, HD-070)

• environmental permits
• EPD
• water and air quality regulation
• legislative study committees
• administrative review rights