ATLANTA – Legislation aimed at protecting the pristine environment of the Satilla River corridor in southeastern Georgia is moving in the General Assembly late in this year’s legislative session.
The House Natural Resources & Environment Committee approved a bill Wednesday that would prohibit landfills from being built within three miles of the river’s highwater mark.
The Satilla, a blackwater river contained wholly within the state of Georgia, is a unique resource for fishing and paddling that draws visitors from across the state, said Sen. William Ligon, R-Brunswick, who introduced the bill into the Senate.
“It’s a winding, slow-moving river … with a lot of wildlife,” Ligon told committee members. “It’s really a state treasure.”
Ligon’s bill was prompted by a controversial proposal to build a landfill in Brantley County in the area the legislation aims to protect.
The measure would not affect that project because it is currently the subject of a lawsuit, Ligon said. However, it would prohibit construction of future landfills in that area, he said.
Ligon noted that the state has invested in the Satilla River corridor by creating a wildlife management area there and funding marsh restoration efforts.
“There are certain areas that are proper for landfills and certain areas that are not,” he said. “You wouldn’t take your garbage can and put it in your living room.”
The committee approved the legislation 12-6, sending it next to the House Rules Committee, which decides which bills go to the full House for a vote.
Supporters will have to move quickly to pass the bill. Wednesday is Day 38 of the 40-day legislative session.