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Updated April 7, 2006
Full Funding for Trust
Funds
Problem:
In the past three years, Georgia has collected $64 million for the hazardous
waste trust fund, the solid waste trust fund, and the erosion and sedimentation
program; however, only about $24 million of this was allocated by the
General Assembly to clean up abandoned toxic waste sites, scrap tire heaps,
and litter and to fund the state’s erosion and sedimentation program.
Georgia legislators have raided these funds and used the money for other
purposes.
Solution:
The Georgia Conservancy wants the legislature to fully fund each of these
funds. Governor Perdue’s proposed 2007 budget included roughly $16
million for the hazardous waste trust fund and $6.5 million for the solid
waste trust fund. Both of these amounts represent full funding, and the
Georgia Conservancy supported Governor Perdue’s attempted restoration
of these funds. The Governor’s budget contained only $2.5 million
of the erosion and sedimentation fees, however, meaning $1 million would
be being used for other purposes.
Status:
The final FY 2007 budget passed by the Georgia General Assembly
March 30 allocated $6 million to the Solid Waste Trust Fund, which is
$500,000 less than full funding. The budget allocated $7.6 million to
the Hazardous Waste Trust Fund, which is significantly less than full
funding. The final budget also cut the amount allocated to EPD from the
erosion and sedimentation fees, meaning EPD will not be able to hire the
8 new inspectors it had planned to hire. Three years after Georgia initiated
user fees for land disturbance activities to fund these positions, EPD
has only been able to hire 35 new inspectors instead of the 80 new staff
that were promised.
The really good news, however, is that the final budget included $400,000
for EPD’s water monitoring program. The Senate had cut this from
its version of the budget, and if these funds had not been restored, Georgia’s
stream and groundwater monitoring programs would have been eliminated.
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Land Conservation Tax
Credit
Problem:
Many of Georgia’s large corporate landowners, mostly forest-products
companies, are putting their land up for sale. If these large tracts of
land cannot be preserved, they will likely be subdivided and developed.
The state needs a better program and more incentives to preserve our land
resources. Georgia, in fact, lags behind the rest of the Southeast in
greenspace preservation.
Solution:
In 2002, the Georgia Conservancy called for a Land Conservation Act, which
was finally passed by the General Assembly and signed by Governor Perdue
in 2005. This year, Governor Perdue has proposed an income tax credit
to individuals or corporations that donate land or conservation easements
to the state, a local government, or a qualified non-profit. The Georgia
Conservancy supports this tax credit.
Status:
The land conservation tax credit bill, House Bill 1107, provides a 25%
state income tax credit to those who donate land to conservation or who
enter into conservation easements. It passed unanimously in the House
on February 8 and passed the Senate on March 1. The Governor plans to
sign the bill on April 21.
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No Roll-back on Water
Protection
Problem:
Georgia is experiencing a population boom that is putting a strain on
our once-abundant supply of clean water. Adding to the strain are powerful
insiders trying to make a quick buck at the expense of our quality of
life. When dirt and stormwater from development spill into our streams,
lakes and rivers, our clean water is at serious risk and we face lower
property values and higher taxes and fees. If we don’t carefully
manage and protect our water, we risk losing this precious resource.
Solution:
We need to hold policy-makers accountable for making responsible decisions
and resisting powerful insiders that would sacrifice our water resources
for their private gain. Enforcing existing laws and preventing rollbacks
of those laws that protect our rivers, lakes and streams from runoff will
benefit us all. Protecting Georgia’s waters –– from
the beautiful mountain streams and coastal marshes to the rushing rivers
and healthy lakes –– will ensure Georgia’s continued
prosperity.
Status:
Senate Bill 510 was aimed at reducing stream buffer protections afforded
by the 150-foot buffer on waterways upstream of a drinking water reservoir
or intake. The bill passed the Senate, but on the
final night of the Georgia General Assembly, the House voted down SB 510
by a vote of 139-30. This is a huge victory for the environmental community
and for protection of Georgia’s drinking water supplies.
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De-funding of the Non-game
Wildlife Program
Problem:
Several legislators who are angry at the Department of Natural Resources
introduced a bill, HB 1232, that would take the money collected from sales
of the non-game wildlife license tag and put it in the general fund instead
of sending it directly to support the non-game wildlife program. While
this bill has raised some legitimate questions about the constitutionality
of the program as it exists, the goal should be to fix these problems
so that the DNR non-game wildlife program continues to receive these funds
since they receive no funding from the state.
Solution:
The solution is to pass a constitutional amendment that specifically designates
the non-game tag money to a special fund for the non-game wildlife program.
House Bill 1053 and House Resolution 1564 will do just that.
Status:
HB 1053 and HR 1564 passed the House and then passed the Senate on the
last day of the legislative session. These bills will ensure the money
collected from the sale of specialized license plates will go to its intended
purposes. Both bills are awaiting Governor Perdue’s signature.
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