07 LC
25 4815
Senate
Resolution 327
By:
Senators Johnson of the 1st, Chapman of the 3rd, Hill of the 4th and Tolleson of
the 20th
ADOPTED
SENATE
A
RESOLUTION
Creating
the Joint Atlantic Coastal Beach Preservation and Maintenance Study Committee;
and for other purposes.
WHEREAS,
beach erosion is a serious problem on Georgia´s Atlantic coastal beaches,
including but not limited to Tybee Island beach. Such coastal beaches are
eroding steadily, and it is costly to maintain and preserve and build up the
beaches; and
WHEREAS,
while there is a need for maintaining navigation inlets, harbors, and rivers to
promote commercial and recreational uses of our coastal waters and their
resources, dredging activities to deepen or maintain navigation channels within
tidal inlets, as well as the entrances to harbors and rivers, often alter the
natural drift of sand resources within the littoral zone. This alteration can
be exacerbated when the sand resources are deposited in designated upland or
offshore disposal areas instead of being returned to the natural river-sand
transport-beach system. This alteration can adversely impact natural resources,
recreation, tourism, and associated coastal economies; and
WHEREAS,
government agencies have pumped millions of cubic yards of sand onto Tybee
Island since the 1970´s, when they began renourishing the beach on Tybee
Island east of Savannah; and
WHEREAS,
a federal government study began in January, 2007, to examine how much the
Savannah River´s busy shipping channel contributes to beach erosion on
Tybee Island. The study will try to measure how much the Savannah River, which
meets the Atlantic Ocean at Tybee Island´s northern shore, disrupts the
natural flow of sand being eroded and redeposited by waters along the beach;
and
WHEREAS,
the next scheduled beach renourishment for Tybee Island, in 2008, is expected to
cost $10 million. The federal government has heretofore covered 60 percent of
the cost, with state and local governments responsible for paying the rest;
and
WHEREAS,
in addition to the federal government´s recently initiated study of the
scope of the problem for Tybee Island, there is a need for this state to examine
possible options for conservation measures for Georgia´s Atlantic coastal
beaches as well as ways to fund beach preservation and maintenance, including
public and private partnerships.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA that there is
created the Joint Atlantic Coastal Beach Preservation and Maintenance Study
Committee to be composed of eight members. The President of the Senate shall
appoint four members of the Senate as members of the committee and shall
designate one of such members as cochairperson. The Speaker of the House of
Representatives shall appoint four members of the House of Representatives as
members of the committee and shall designate one of such members as
cochairperson. The cochairpersons shall call all meetings of the
committee.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the committee shall undertake a study of the
conditions, needs, issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and
recommend any action or legislation which the committee deems necessary or
appropriate. The committee may conduct such meetings at such places and at such
times as it may deem necessary or convenient to enable it to exercise fully and
effectively its powers, perform its duties, and accomplish the objectives and
purposes of this resolution. The legislative members of the committee shall
receive the allowances provided for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code
of Georgia Annotated. The funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this
resolution shall come from funds appropriated to the Senate and the House of
Representatives. The expenses and allowances authorized by this resolution
shall not be received by any member of the committee for more than five days
unless additional days are authorized. In the event the committee makes a
report of its findings and recommendations, with suggestions for proposed
legislation, if any, such report shall be made on or before December 31, 2007.
The committee shall stand abolished on December 31, 2007.