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Subcommittee hears proposal for temporary moratorium on Trail Ridge mining to allow studies and land purchases
Summary
House Bill 562 would create a temporary moratorium on surface‑mining permits on Trail Ridge adjacent to the Okefenokee, supporters said, to allow additional scientific study and time for potential land acquisition. Witnesses on both sides urged either a pause for data collection or continuation of EPD permitting; no vote was taken.
Representative Darlene Taylor introduced House Bill 562 to the Subcommittee on Resource Management as a narrower alternative to HB 561: a temporary moratorium on new or modified surface‑mining permits on the portion of Trail Ridge that abuts the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. Taylor said the pause would create breathing room for federal acquisition efforts and for additional study; Fish and Wildlife Service staff and philanthropic entities were described as potential partners to retire mining rights through purchase.
Nut graf: HB 562 would pause permitting for a defined period (sponsor discussed five years as a preferred timeframe and noted Fish and Wildlife recommended 10 years), enabling further hydrologic and watershed studies and potential land acquisition without permanently foreclosing future decisions.
Supporters asked for time to complete ongoing technical work. Emily Floor of Saint Marys Riverkeeper described surveys and modeling under way — bathymetric mapping, side‑scan sonar and biochemical oxygen demand studies — and urged a moratorium “to allow for these studies to be completed, providing EPD the most up to date and accurate information.” Amy Sharma of Science for Georgia and other scientists said a moratorium would stop immediate proposals while more complete, peer‑reviewed analyses proceed; Sharma said a five‑year pause would “put a stop to all this fighting” and allow a structured review.
Some local officials and civic groups framed a moratorium as a pragmatic compromise. Josh Howard, president of the Friends of Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, described local economic development plans tied to ecotourism and said protecting the swamp would support long‑term jobs.
Opponents cautioned that a broad moratorium could harm local economies and would not substitute for a science‑based regional study. Drew Jones of Toledo Manufacturing and other industry speakers said EPD’s permitting process is the proper venue to assess site‑specific impacts. Joe Hopkins, who identified mineral holdings on Trail Ridge, proposed a targeted, shorter study and recommended assessing historical drainage, canals and other anthropogenic changes before imposing a broad statutory pause.
Committee discussion focused on scope and duration. Representative Taylor said five years would be acceptable; she also noted ongoing philanthropic efforts to acquire land but said land purchases at scale would likely require more time and resources than a short legislative session permits.
Ending: The committee held HB 562 as a hearing item and did not take a vote. Several members signaled interest in additional technical information and in consulting with EPD before any formal committee vote.
