Log Mining in the Altamaha: Express Your Concern Now

The Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) presented the draft Rule and Policy on Salvage Logging (i.e. Deadhead Logging) to the Board of Natural Resources at the October 25 Board meeting in Valdosta. Concerned citizens from throughout the state made a good showing and spoke eloquently about their concerns. Issues raised include:

• The need for regulations and not policy in order to ensure that if there are any changes to the program, it is done through an open and public process;
• The need for good water quality monitoring;
• The need to tighten inspection and verification procedures;
• The need for more severe penalties for violations of the policies; and
• Questions regarding whether the $1.28 price per board foot represents an under evaluation of deadhead logs that constitutes a gratuity, thereby violating the Georgia Constitution.

1. Concerns for the environmental consequences of the logging and whether DNR has the resources to monitor the logging effectively;
2. Whether the $1.28 price per board foot violates the gratuities clause of the Georgia constitution; and
3. The fact that this expensive program (estimates of $150,000-$200,000 per year) forces Georgia citizens to essentially subsidize the one or two companies that will benefit from the program. WRD is stretched thin enough without also having to create and implement a program that benefits so few.

WRD has formally proposed the rule 391-5-9-.08 that will set compensation for the logs at $1.28 per board foot, and they are seeking public comment. There are two final public hearings: November 29 at 7:00 pm at the Bainbridge High School cafeteria, and November 30 at 7:00 pm at the Altamaha Technical Institute in Jesup. Written comments must be submitted no later than December 4 and should be mailed to:

Ted Hendricks
Department of Natural Resources
2123 US Highway 278 S.E.
Social Circle, Georgia

The DNR Board will vote on the proposed price at the December 7 Board meeting at 10:00 am in the DNR Board Room (Sloppy Floyd Building, East Tower, Suite 1252, 2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, SE, Atlanta).

Please write comment letters during the 30-day public notice period and attend the final public hearings to voice your concern!