If datacenters are so great, why did their proponents first gut GA SB 34, which would have prohibited datacenters from passing on electric bills to other ratepayers?

And why now are they trying to pass SB 447, which would distort local permitting processes to favor datacenters and developers in general?

Please ask your Georgia statehouse delegation to vote NO on GA SB 447.

SB 447 will be heard this Tuesday, March 17, 2026, in a subcommittee of the Georgia House Natural Resources and Environment (HNRE) Committee.

It may get voted on there, and then in the full Committee on Thursday.

Call about datacenter and developer give-away, GA SB 447

You can find your Georgia House members here:

https://wwals.net/about/elected-officials/georgia-house/

Or type in your ZIP code here:

http://openstates.org/find_your_legislator/

Suwannee River Basin members of HNRE are:

• 172, Chas Cannon, R – Moultrie, (404) 656-0177, chas.cannon@house.ga.gov, Colquitt, southwest Cook, and northeast Thomas Counties
• 174, John Corbett, R – Lake Park, (404) 656-5105, john.corbett@house.ga.gov, Charlton, Brantley, south half of Ware, Clinch, Echols, Brantley, and southeast half of Lowndes Counties.
• 170, Jaclyn Ford, R – Nashville, (404) 656-0325, jaclyn.ford@house.ga.gov, Berrien, south Tift, and northeast Cook Counties. Elected in 2024.
• 156, Leesa Hagan, R – Lyons, (404) 656-0177, leesa.hagan@house.ga.gov, southeast Ben Hill County
• 148, Noel Williams, Jr., R – Cordele, (404) 656-5146, noel.williams@house.ga.gov, Crisp, Wilcox, and west Ben Hill Counties

Suwannee River Basin Members, 2026-03-12 –Georgia House Natural Resources and Environment Committee

SB 447 would create a workaround for developers whose project applications have already been denied to bypass important pollution control, community planning, and building safety requirements and quickly get their projects approved. If passed, the application of SB 447 would create undue and unfunded mandates for local governments, utilities, building code inspectors, and other public safety officials to meet within extremely unreasonable timeframes. The result would be the inability to thoughtfully plan for our communities, protect our waterways from pollution, and ensure new buildings, including affordable housing, are safe and compliant with building codes.

Here’s How:

• The bill amends two code sections: The Erosion and Sedimentation Act in Title 12 and the general provisions for counties and municipalities in Title 36.
• SB447 creates a new 45-day timeline for counties and municipalities to consider new permit applications for development projects of any size.
• SB447 changes the reconsideration process for development permit applications that have already been denied. After a developer’s application has been denied, the bill creates a new, unreasonable 14-day time period to consider resubmissions, even if there is significant new material for the local approval entity to consider.
• The new, 14-day time period would be a mandate for all bodies who approve permits, including county and city commissions, planning commissions, utilities, building inspectors, public safety inspectors, etc. It does not apply to state agencies.
• The bill creates an automatic pathway for approval because if any of these entities do not get to the resubmitted permit application after 14 days, the project is automatically approved.
• SB447 applies to all development projects of any size. If passed, a local government would have the same amount of time to consider a major build-to-rent residential development, a large industrial site, a landfill, or data center as they would have to consider a single family home.
• Setting an unreasonable 14-day time limit to evaluate new information regarding permit applications for large projects that have already been denied places an undue burden on local governments and communities who are trying to carefully plan for and encourage development.
• Setting an unreasonable 14-day time limit on environmental and building and fire code approvals in busy cities and counties could lead to the creation of hazardous and unsafe structures.

More later on the datacenter proposed near the Withlacoochee River in Lowndes County, Georgia.

 -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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