Numerous people spoke to support the Okefenokee Swamp against mining too near it, about two bills before a subcommittee of the Georgia House Natural Resources and Environment Committee (GA HNRE), on March 3, 2025.

Speakers on Okefenokee Bills, GA HNRE Comm. 2025-03-03, No action by Crossover Day, But already introduced for 2026

Unfortunately, that was just a hearing, and the Committee did not vote on those bills in any later meeting, either. Which means they did not get a chance for a vote by the full House before Crossover Day. Crossover Day was Thursday, March 6, 2025, after which any bills that passed in one house crossed over to the other house for their consideration.

The good news is that it is a two-year session, so these bills are already introduced for next year: HB 561 and HB 562.

In the Committee’s own video, the meeting starts at 3:43:02.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CYf02XRjzY&t=13382s

Rep. Darlene Taylor presents the bills

What I said starts at 4:42:47 through 4:46. Hm, they actually gave me three minutes, after insisting on only 2 minutes.
https://www.youtube.com/live/-CYf02XRjzY?si=wuvQKIRgi7apBc0i&t=16967

GA HNRE Subcommittee

This is approximately what I said.

My name is John S. Quarterman. I grow pine trees, corn, and vegetables in Lowndes County, on land my grandfather bought in 1921. That’s three miles from Moody Air Force Base, so I am familiar with land-use restrictions near federal land.

As the Suwannee Riverkeeper, I try to keep the waters clean in the 10,000 square miles of the Suwannee River Basin, half in Georgia and half in Florida, including 85% of the Okefenokee Swamp.

John S. Quarterman, Suwannee Riverkeeper

Of the resolutions you’ve heard about, eight are in the Suwannee River Basin.

Not by the Swamp and not downstream, Atkinson County is on the Alapaha River. A Commissioner told me afterwards, “This is our heritage, our way of life.” That’s a theme.

Berrien County and Nashville are on the Alapaha and Withlacoochee Rivers, but people from there also go to the Swamp.

Exiting I-75 for Valdosta, a sign says “Okefenokee Swamp, Stephen C. Foster State Park, 62 Miles.” People eat in Valdosta or stay overnight, as part of the broad economic effects of the Swamp.

All the counties on the Suwannee River downstream from the Swamp, Ware, Clinch, and Echols County, passed resolutions.

In addition to opposing the current application, Echols, Clinch, Berrien, and Atkinson asked for a moratorium on mining near the Swamp, as did the City of Valdosta.

Hamilton County, Florida, passed a resolution. Its Tourist Development Council head lives in Georgia. Everybody on both sides of the GA-FL line has friends, relatives, and business associates in both states.

White Sulphur Springs was one of the first tourist attractions in Florida. The Hamilton County phosphate mine says their water withdrawals have nothing to do with that spring barely trickling. Yet withdrawals as far away as Savannah affect the Floridan Aquifer in Florida.

All dozen downstream Florida counties helped get a GA-EPD Consent Order on Valdosta about sewage spills. So Florida does matter.

All the Waterkeepers of Florida wrote a resolution and letters to EPD, asking for mining near the Swamp to be stopped, as did all nine Riverkeepers of Georgia.

None of these resolutions say Trail Ridge. They all want to protect the entire Swamp.

Three asked to protect within ten miles: Berrien, Clinch, and Echols.

Five asked to also protect the blackwater rivers of south Georgia: Atkinson, Berrien, Nashville, Valdosta, and Clinch.

These two bills before you ask for less than these resolutions do. They are tightly constrained. So they should be easy to pass.

Thank you.

See previous post for the resolutions.
https://wwals.net/?p=67113

Many others spoke for the bills, including these examples.

Rev. Antwon Nixon, Folkston, GA, speaking for the bills

Emily Floore, St. Marys Riverkeeper, speaking for the bills

Mike Worley, President and CRO, Georgia Wildlife Federation

Speakers against the bills including Charlton County Commissioner Drew Jones, who works for Joe Hopkins. Joe owns most of the land north from the miners’ property towards the Refuge headquarters; he also spoke.

Audience, Joe Hopkins front left, Drew Jones speaking against the bills

Going by what the various opponents said, the number and variety of supporters of the bills must be having an effect.

Also, according to those opponents, environmental organizations have been raising money hand-over-fist on this issue. I haven’t seen that money, but if they said it, it must be true, right?

Rep. John Corbett also spoke against the bills.

Rep. John Corbett opposing the bills

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/

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