ATLANTA – State Representative Mary Frances Williams (D-Marietta) recently worked to amend House Bill 927, legislation which would require companies that use ethylene oxide gas to report releases of the gas in Georgia. An amended version of HB 927, which includes language changes requested by Rep. Williams, was passed out of the House Natural Resources and Environment Committee on Thursday, March 5, 2020. The updated version of the bill would require the Environmental Protection Division (EPD) to publicly report all releases of ethylene oxide from facilities, such as the Sterigenics plant in Cobb County.
“I am pleased to see the voices of concerned citizens were heard on this issue, and that the bill was strengthened to protect the health of Georgians and our environment,” said Rep. Williams. “I would like to urge citizens who wish to see the bill pass to contact their legislators in support of House Bill 927. People need to continue to make their voices heard on this issue.”
HB 927 was presented in a House Natural Resources and Environment subcommittee meeting on Tuesday, March 3, and Rep. Williams opposed a version of the bill that would have required the EPD to only report when more than ten pounds of ethylene oxide, a known carcinogen, is released into the atmosphere. Following the subcommittee meeting, Rep. Williams worked with the bill’s sponsor and other state representatives to update the language of the bill.
For more information on HB 927, please click here.
Representative Mary Frances Williams represents the citizens of District 37, which includes portions of Cobb County. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2018 and currently serves on the Governmental Affairs, Natural Resources & Environment and State Properties committees.
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