ATLANTA –State Representative Jesse Petrea (R-Savannah) commented today on the passage of Senate Bill 101, legislation to provide a 25-foot buffer along coastal marshlands. SB 101 passed the Georgia House of Representatives unanimously yesterday and will now go to Governor Deal for signature.
“As a native Georgian whose family has been on the Georgia coast for generations, I am proud to see Senate Bill 101 pass our State House,” said Rep. Petrea. “This bill will protect 2,350 miles of marsh interface without wrested vegetation. At the same time, it also protects and respects private property rights of coastal landowners.”
SB 101 establishes a 25 foot buffer along coastal marshlands in an effort to reduce soil erosion and filter land-based pollutants. The bill also requires the board of Natural Resources to develop criteria for the grant or denial of requests for variances by the end of the year. Exceptions to the buffer include: variances that are as protective as the buffer, activities permitted before the effective date, construction of utility lines with limited disturbance, drainage structure construction, and maintenance of existing structures that fully implement adequate erosion control.
For more information on SB 101, please click here.
Representative Jesse Petrea represents the citizens of District 166, which includes portions of Bryan and Chatham counties. He was elected into the House of Representatives in 2014, and currently serves on the Health and Human Services, Human Relations and Aging, and Public Safety and Homeland Security committees.
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