CCA GA Sponsors HB736 for Habitat Improvements

At last week’s beginning session of the 2016 Georgia legislative session, CCA GA was instrumental in getting a new bill introduced for a coastal tag to support habitat improvements along the Georgia coast. DNR Commissioner- Mark Williams and Spud Woodward- Director of CRD (pictured above) were there at the Capitol when HB 736 was put forward as a simple amendment to the Official Code of Georgia adding a short subsection to create this new tag. Similar to other wildlife tags, the cost of the tag at the local county tag office would be just $25, with $19 paid to a restricted fund administered by the Coastal Resources Division (CRD) of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR), $1 paid to the local tag-issuing authority, and $5 to the General Fund. As with other wildlife tags, renewals will be $25, with $20 paid to the CRD restricted fund, and $5 to the state treasury. This restricted fund to be administered by CRD would be used exclusively for projects to restore and enhance marine habitats through oyster reef creation, construction of man-made reefs along the shorelines of tidal rivers and creeks, as well as construction of offshore reefs in the Atlantic Ocean. None of the restricted funds will be used for administrative, overhead or salary costs. Stay tuned as we may need your support to help us get this bill passed into law as it move through the process over the next 40 days.