Ted Arisaka and members of Save Georgia’s Anchorages continue their campaign to remove the restrictive measures included in House Bill 201. Type HB 201 or Save Georgia’s Anchorages in our Homepage Search window for more background on this restrictive legislation.

Larry:
FYI here is my letter to Gov Kemp, DNR, and Rep Don Hogan (bill sponsor) on HB 201.
I commented on 4 aspects of these regs.
Regards,
Ted

Click here for GA HB201 Commentary 2020 01 27

Our thanks to Ted Arisaka for sharing this work that Save Georgia’s Anchorages is doing on boaters’ behalf. See New Boating Laws.

We’ve been busy today here at SGA inventorying “all” the anchorages in Georgia and assessing the impact of HB 201. Previously we published map overlays on some of the more popular anchorages, but we wanted to be more comprehensive. The task is a difficult one as GA DNR continues to add / grow no-anchor zones seemingly on a daily basis. Two good examples are the area around Savannah Yacht Club as well as the anchorage off Cumberland Island.
In summary we inventoried 124 recognized and popular anchoring locations using detailed information obtained by Garmin, the world’s largest navigation charting service, Waterway Guide, and Cruisers Net. We will continue analysis in order to evaluate the impact of HB201 and Commissioner Mark Williams Administrative Order on anchoring in Georgia.

IMPACT ON KNOWN AND POPULAR ANCHORING LOCATIONS

22 (18%) anchoring locations were negatively impacted (area reduced or increased congestion due to closed nearby anchoring locations).

51 (41%) anchoring locations are essentially eliminated.

So a total of 73 (58%)of known and popular anchoring locations are impacted or eliminated out of a total of 124!!! All the state’s coastal water are (were) open to anchoring prior to HB201 and the establishment of setbacks or restricted areas, so the full impact on anchoring in areas not designated as “known and popular anchoring locations” is immeasurable.

A spreadsheet will be in the FILES section. The 2nd sheet has hyperlinks to these anchorages on the ActiveCaptain web viewer if you’d like to see where they are. Alternatively you can copy the Lat/Long into Google Maps.

We intend to review Waterway Guide and Cruisers Net to augment our data in the coming days.

Please contact Georgia legislators and DNR officials if you feel these regulations go too far.

This presentation is in the Susan Shipman Environmental Learning Center, 1 Conservation Way, Brunswick, GA 31520. It’s in the northeast corner of the parking lot at the DNR Coastal Regional Headquarters near the Sidney Lanier Bridge.

CRD to host presentation on coastal resiliency

BRUNSWICK, Ga. (Jan. 10, 2020) — The Coastal Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources invites the public to attend a presentation on coastal resiliency at noon Jan. 28.

Analie Barnett, a landscape ecologist with The Nature Conservancy, will present on “Identifying Resilient Coastal Sites for Conservation in the South Atlantic” at the Susan Shipman Environmental Learning Center, One Conservation Way in Brunswick.

Coastal sites vary widely in their ability to accommodate rising seas, based on inherent natural features and the degree of human influence on key ecological processes. Scientists from The Nature Conservancy evaluated over 1,200 coastal sites in the South Atlantic for their capacity to sustain biodiversity and natural services under increasing sea levels.

Each site received a resilience “score” based on the likelihood that its coastal habitats can and will migrate to adjacent lowlands. With no action, the region could experience an estimated 77% loss of existing tidal habitats to severe inundation. However, there are many sites where tidal habitats could increase and expand through landward migration, reversing this trend.

With conservation and management, these resilient sites have the potential to offset almost 80% of the estimated tidal habitat loss, providing critical habitat for birds and other wildlife, and buffering communities from the effects of storms and floods. Conservation of these resilient sites is critical if we are to sustain nature’s diversity and benefits into the future.

This presentation will provide an overview of TNC’s approach to identifying resilient coastal sites in the South Atlantic, examine the results, and show different ways the results can be used, such as to prioritize land acquisition, identify areas for restoration, and find roads that may fragment future marsh areas. Results and potential applications will focus on Georgia’s coastal sites with some regional perspectives for context.

About the speaker

Analie Barnett is a Landscape Ecologist with The Nature Conservancy’s Eastern Conservation Science team and is based in Atlanta, Ga. She has been with the Conservancy for thirteen years. Barnett has expertise in geospatial analysis, multivariate analysis, landscape ecology, and conservation planning. She holds a Master of Environmental Management with a focus on conservation science from Duke University and received her B.A. from Austin College in Economics and Literature.

Barnett works on a variety of coastal, terrestrial, and freshwater projects in the Eastern U.S. that incorporate spatial and statistical analysis to inform conservation planning and natural resource management at large geographic scales. Recent projects include identification of coastal sites expected to be resilient to climate change in the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, U.S., multivariate analysis of long-term vegetation data to assess the effectiveness of longleaf pine management on military lands, ecosystem services assessment of bottomland hardwood reforestation scenarios in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley, and spatial analysis to identify priority marine areas in the South Atlantic Bight. Her work has been published in peer-reviewed journals including BioScience, Ecological Applications and Plant Ecology.

More information

Anyone with questions can contact CRD’s communications specialist, Tyler Jones, at 912-262-3140 or tyler.jones@dnr.ga.gov.

Above photo by Ben Galland.

Our thanks to Kim Russo and Jack White for their efforts to protect the rights of boaters in Georgia. See Georgia Anchoring Regs.

Thanks for your patience, everyone, as we continue to gather information about the new rules on anchoring in Georgia.

Below is an op-ed written by one of our coalition partners, Jack White. Jack is a former Georgia state legislator and I think his explanation/summation of what has happened is spot on. Following Jack’s op-ed is a bit more of my take on the topic.

Kim

Betrayal of the public trust

Remember when you were in school and a few kids did something wrong and the whole class got punished? If so, then welcome to legislation—Georgia style! Georgia is now home to the most restrictive boater legislation in the nation. This past week the Coastal Resources Division (CRD) of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) posted the announcement of the implementation of HB201 on their website. You may recall this is the bill I warned Liberty and Bryan County residents about last summer. A hodgepodge of disjointed topics, the bill included anchoring permits, logs of pump-outs, fees and the establishment of anchorage areas. Did you catch that folks? Not just authorization to tell you where you CAN’T anchor but where you CAN anchor. The announcement this week (via Administrative Order from DNR Commissioner Mark Williams) graciously informs the public that “The Commissioner hereby ORDERS that anchorage areas for the purpose of overnight anchoring are established throughout all the estuarine areas the state…”. In other words, a right we have enjoyed for centuries in waters most boaters and boating organizations believe to be federally controlled (see the commerce clause of the US Constitution) has been granted to us by the DNR. This should be challenged in a court of law.

If you go onto the DNR website they will tell you “HB201 is a new law that mainly affects waste discharge from vessels with marine sanitation devices (MSDs) and overnight anchoring in coastal waters”. Folks, this is disingenuous at best. HB201 was NEVER about a concern over the cleanliness of Georgia’s waters. It was about getting rid of a couple of nuisance boats in the coastal Georgia area to make a couple of powerful people happy. It was their scenery that was getting polluted—not the water. To fix their problem, Representative Don Hogan (Brunswick, Ga) with the help of others crafted HB201 at the urging of DNR. Why? Because DNR needed a way to make these 2 complaints go away and establishing setbacks under the guise of clean water was deemed the answer. The hen has now come to roost in the form of this new DNR Administrative Order which outlines the following:

ONE. It restricts overnight anchoring within 1,000 feet (that’s over 3 football fields) of any structure, such as public and private docks, wharfs, bridges, piers and pilings, except in areas near marinas. This 1,000’ offset needlessly eliminates anchorages all over the state. It will affect numerous boaters many of which transit Georgia waters as part of the annual migration along the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) that brings in millions of dollars to Georgia businesses. Additionally, an unintended consequence of this ill-conceived legislation is that it gives private landowners jurisdiction over public waters free of charge with no need for a bottom lease from the state. Essentially waterfront owners now control thousands of acres of public water at no cost. I seriously question the legality of this action and challenge any attorney reading this to take action.

TWO. Commissioner Mark Williams and the DNR have created an animal known as Marina Zones, which wasn’t even in HB201. These will allow boaters to anchor as close as 300 feet to marinas or facilities that provide fuel, dinghy access, provisions, vessel maintenance or other services, regardless of whether other structures exist nearby. This of course begs the question, if we can anchor 300’ from a marina, where there are numerous comings and goings, why are we prohibited from anchoring 300’ from any other structure where there may be no or very limited activity? It makes zero sense but then it doesn’t have to as long as it makes the two waterfront owners happy. It would seem the needs of the few outweigh the needs of the many.

Many boating groups to include the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), Boat US, Seven Seas Cruising Association (SSCA), Marine Trawler Owners Association (MTOA), American Great Loopers Cruising Association (AGLCA), and the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association (AIWA) were never consulted before the legislation was passed. Most importantly, the general boating public was unaware of the bill until it had already passed. A public hearing occurred on June 17 in Brunswick where we voiced our concerns and were assured no rules would be implemented until they were vetted with the boating public. Afterwards, at a July 31st Stakeholders’ Meeting, which I and several boating representatives attended, we collectively recommended 150’ setbacks from marinas and private structures. Personnel at DNR were informed that a 1,000’ setback was far too large yet that has now been implemented.  So much for transparency and open dialogue with the public.

The General Assembly didn’t just take away the freedoms of Georgians, they also took away the freedoms of every American transiting our waters from other states. DNR never had any intention of engaging any of the end users–Georgia boaters and visiting boaters to the coastline of Georgia. Actions speak much louder than words.

So, what can we do? I invite the citizens of coastal Georgia to join me in writing and calling both the Governor’s office as well as the Commissioner of DNR.

Governor Brian Kemp
206 Washington Street
Suite 203, State Capitol
Atlanta, GA 30334
Phone Number: 404-656-2846
Toll Free: 1-800-436-7442
Contact via web form: https://gov.georgia.gov/contact-us/constituent-services

Commissioner Mark Williams
2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, SE
Suite 1252 – East Tower
Atlanta, GA 30334
Phone number: 404-656-3505
Contact via web form: https://gadnr.org/sendemail

Maps of restricted anchorage areas by county can be found here:
https://coastalgadnr.org/Liveaboards

//Signed//
Jack White
Boater, Liberty County resident & former Ga State Representative, House District 3

As Jack eloquently shared, stakeholders (including AGLCA) were invited by DNR to a meeting because they said they wanted our feedback as they crafted the implementation rules associated with HB201.  It was my understanding leaving that meeting, and from subsequent phone contact, that we’d be kept informed of progress and given the chance to preview the new rules before implementation to provide comment.  We were blindsided by the order two days before it took effect.  

Our coalition has been making calls and gathering information, and has not found a group that suggested 1,000-feet as a setback.  There seems to be no explanation as to how that distance was selected.  It appears that even marinas, who some think have the most to gain when boats cannot anchor overnight, appear to have suggested a setback far less than 1,000-feet.  And even Florida, where there are constant challenges to the right to anchor, has setbacks of only 150-feet.

There is some good news.  First, the wheels are in motion for a potential legislative change that we hope will undo the problems inherent in HB201.  We will provide more details on this as soon as we are able.  Second, groups much bigger than ours, with a lot more clout, are just as outraged as we are.  We hope to make more details about their efforts available soon as well.  

In the meantime, Jack’s suggestion of letter-writing to Commission Williams and Governor Kemp (see address information above) is our next course of action.  Please take the time to write.  Remember to be respectful, specific, and concise about how this administrative order will affect you.  For your convenience, the order is available here.  

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

-Kim

Kim Russo
Director
America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association

Our thanks to Roger Long for sending these latest updates on the restrictive anchoring regulations in Georgia.

1/5/20 The official DNR map has been posted. All of Brickhill Creek is excluded due to leased oyster areas not shown on the map I was working from in my earlier comments. There is now no well protected legal anchorage for visiting the northern part of Cumberland Island.

The southern part of the island is all shown as open. The DNR may be recognizing National Park Service control of those waters. However, other areas on the southern portion of the map are not excluded which would be if the same standards were used as farther north. I suspect the map is simply incomplete at this point and we will gradually see it filled in.

Roger

Click here for Coastal Anchoring & Discharge

GEORGIA 

DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES 

BRIAN KEMP GOVERNOR 

MARK WILLIAMS COMMISSIONER 

ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER 

BY THE COMMISSIONER 

WHEREAS: The General Assembly declared though the Coastal Marshlands Protection Act, 

O.C.G.A. 12-5-280 et seq. that the coastal marshlands of Georgia comprise a vital natural resource system and that the coastal marshlands provide a natural recreation resource which has become vitally linked to the economy of Georgia’s coastal zone and to that of the entire state. It further stated that coastal marshlands are costly, if not impossible, to reconstruct or rehabilitate once adversely impacted by man’s activities and that activities in the coastal marshlands must be regulated to ensure the values and functions of coastal marshlands are not impaired; and 

WHEREAS: O.C.G.A. 52-7-3 (25) defines vessel as every description of watercraft, other than a 

seaplane on the water or a sailboard, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water and specifically includes, but is not limited to, inflatable rafts and homemade vessels; and 

WHEREAS: O.C.G.A. 52-7-8.4(b)(1) defines anchorage areas as those areas established by the 

department within estuarine areas whereby a vessel may anchor at night; and 

WHEREAS; O.C.G.A. 12-5-282 (7) and 52-7-8.4(b)(3) define estuarine areas as all tidally 

influenced waters, marshes, and marshlands lying within a tide-elevation range from 5.6 feet above mean tide level and below; and 

WHEREAS: O.C.G.A. 52–7-8.4(b)(5) defines night as between the hours of 30 minutes after 

sunset and 30 minutes before sunrise; and 

WHEREAS: O.C.G.A. 52–7-8.4(d) authorizes the Department to establish anchorage areas within 

the estuarine areas of this state as well as areas where anchoring is not allowed. 

NOW THEREFORE, based on the foregoing, the Commissioner hereby ORDERS that anchorage areas for the purpose of overnight anchoring are established throughout all the estuarine areas of the state EXCEPT FOR THE FOLLOWING estuarine areas that are specifically excluded as anchorage areas: 

1) Within any marked navigational channel; and 2) Within 1,000 feet of any Department approved marked shellfish lease area or 

public shellfish picking area; and 3) Within 1,000 feet of any structure, such as wharfs, docks, piers, pilings, bridge 

structures or abutments, except for areas within Marina Zones. A Marina Zone shall be delineated as the area between 300 feet and 1,000 feet of a marina or facility providing fuel, dinghy access, provisions, vessel maintenance or other 

2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, S.E.. Suite 1252 | Atlantil. Georgia 30334-9000 

404.656.,7500 Fax +44,656.0770 | www.gadar.org 

boating services, regardless of whether other structures exist within the marina zone. Overnight anchoring is allowed within Marina Zones. 

FURTHERMORE, the anchorage areas established by this Administrative Order shall not be considered “designated anchorages” for the purposes of O.C.G.A, Section 52-7-11(d). 32-point white stern lights are required to be displayed during hours of darkness or low visibility when anchored in anchorage areas established by this Administrative Order. 

FURTHERMORE, it is the sole responsibility of the vessel operator to determine a safe anchorage area for their vessel depending on current environmental factors and the Department has no responsibility in this part. 

FURTHERMORE, this ORDER does not authorize the placement or installation of mooring balls within the estuarine area of the state. 

This 30% day of December 2019. 

Marklillas 

MARK WILLIAMS COMMISSIONER OF NATURAL RESOURCES 

See also Latest Georgia Anchoring Regs

New coastal boating laws take effect in Georgia

BRUNSWICK, Ga. (Jan. 3, 2020) — The new year brings with it new coastal boating laws. House Bill 201, passed by the 2019 Georgia legislature and signed by Gov. Brian Kemp, became effective Jan. 1, 2020.

The new law mainly affects waste discharge from vessels with marine sanitation devices (MSDs) and overnight anchoring in coastal waters.

Also during the 2019 session, the legislature passed groundbreaking shellfish laws which, when fully implemented, will enable the state to develop an oyster industry similar to surrounding states.

“Maintaining good water quality by minimizing waste discharged into estuaries is fundamental to a successful oyster industry,” explained Doug Haymans, director of the Coastal Resources Division (CRD) of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

“Waste, whether chemically treated or not, can be harmful to sensitive marine environments such as Georgia salt marshes,” Haymans said. “The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) recognizes such, and through the Clean Water Act, allows states to regulate the use of MSDs on houseboats, or as defined in this bill, ‘liveaboards.’ Short of the USEPA creating No-Discharge Zones in coastal Georgia, the state chose to regulate the discharge of all waste from liveaboard vessels, whether treated or untreated, from any Type I, II, or III MSDs.”

The boating law and shellfish law are bound together by water quality. Vessel owners with MSDs are now required to secure the device in such a manner that they can only be pumped out.  There are 19 sanitary pump-out stations along Georgia’s coast.   A map of coastal Georgia’s pump-out stations is available at https://coastalgadnr.org/Pumpout.

Examples of proper securing of MSDs include closing the seacock and padlocking it, using non-releasable wire ties or removing the seacock handle with the seacock in the locked position.  Vessel owners may also choose to dump their holding tanks three or more miles from Georgia’s shoreline.

H.B. 201 also authorizes DNR to establish where overnight anchoring may occur.  On Dec. 30, 2019, DNR Commissioner Mark Williams signed an Administrative Order (AO) establishing restrictions in some sensitive areas. 

The AO restricts overnight anchoring within 1,000 feet of marked shellfish beds, whether commercial leases or public-picking areas. 

“The idea is to protect submerged oyster gear from anchor entanglement and to reduce the likelihood of waste being accidentally discharged near the oyster beds, again tying the two new laws together,” Haymans said.

The AO also restricts overnight anchoring within 1,000 feet of any structure, such as public and private docks, wharfs, bridges, piers and pilings, except in areas near marinas. Commissioner Williams has created “marina zones,” which allow boaters to anchor as close as 300 feet to marinas or facilities that provide fuel, dinghy access, provisions, vessel maintenance or other services, regardless of whether other structures exist nearby. Boaters may anchor overnight within these marina zones.  It should be noted that the 1,000-foot exclusion zone applies to the vessel’s swing circle.

This law change, and the associated administrative order, is not intended to restrict or impact boaters engaged in fishing and other recreational activities in Coastal Georgia. The intent of the change and enforcement will be to prohibit overnight anchoring in locations that could degrade shellfish production, cause navigation hazards, or create conflicts between waterfront homeowners and the boating public.

 “We want everyone to know that Georgia’s coastline is open to all boaters while we work to provide clean, quality resources for everyone to enjoy,” Haymans said.   

Anyone with questions may contact CRD’s communications specialist, Tyler Jones, at tyler.jones@dnr.ga.gov or by calling 912-264-7218. For more information, including interactive and downloadable maps of prohibited anchoring areas, visit www.CoastalGADNR.org/Liveaboards.

To view this press release online, visit click here. 

To view the administrative order, click here

To view the Georgia law, click here.

Our thanks to James H. Newsome of Save Georgia’s Anchorages, a group whose aim is to prevent unreasonable restriction to Georgia’s anchorages. See Anchoring Restrictions in Georgia.

Much thanks for Larry and Cruisers Net for publicizing the ongoing issue with infringement on anchoring rights in Georgia. Please visit Save Georgia’s Anchorages on Facebook for the latest news in our efforts to have HB201 rewritten in the next legislative session starting in January.

Since publication of proposed rules for HB201 in late May, many individuals and boating groups have voiced strong opposition to the intent of the law and subsequent rules. Following a public meeting in June, a record number of public comments submitted to GA’s Coastal Resource Division of DNR, and a Stakeholders’ Meeting at CRD headquarters in Brunswick in late July, it became apparent that changes were needed in HB201. Following weeks of review and exchange of ideas between several boating stakeholder groups and individuals, areas of concern in HB201 were identified and suggested revisions were developed.

Stakeholders representing Waterway Guide, a coalition of membership organizations (including America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association (AGLCA), Seven Seas Cruising Association (SSCA), Marine Trawler Owners’ Association (MTOA), and Defever Cruisers), National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), and Save Georgia’s Anchorages contributed to the Suggested Revisions for GA’s Anchoring Law – HB201.

This document was submitted to key GA legislators, DNR Commissioner Williams, and Coastal Resource Division Director Haymans in November, and now has been sent to the Legislative Council for review and to be drawn into a bill for submittal to the 2020 General Assembly.

A complete copy of the Suggested Revisions for GA’s Anchoring Law is now uploaded to files here on Save Georgia’s Anchorages for your review.

While we do not know what changes will be made in the final bill, we are pleased that GA legislators, DNR Board members, DNR Commissioner Williams and Director Haymans are working with us to find a solution to the problems in HB201.

And a special thanks is extended to GA Representative Ron Stephens from Savannah District 164 who has been instrumental in helping our coalition of boating groups move this process through the negotiation and filing process. Representative Stephens is also a Great Loop Cruiser.

We will keep members informed here on SGA when any developments arise. Please visit https://www.facebook.com/groups/SaveGeorgiasAnchorages/ where you can download a complete copy of Suggested Revisions to Georgia’s Anchoring Law, HB201.

Our thanks to Director Kim Russo for this update on anchoring in Georgia as posted on AGLCA’s Forum.

Since publication of proposed rules for HB201 in late May, many individuals and boating groups have voiced strong opposition to the intent of the law and subsequent rules. Following a public meeting in June, a record number of public comments submitted to GA’s Coastal Resource Division of DNR, and a Stakeholders’ Meeting at CRD headquarters in Brunswick in late July, it became apparent that changes were needed in HB201. Following weeks of review and exchange of ideas between several boating stakeholder groups and individuals, areas of concern in HB201 were identified and suggested revisions were developed.

Stakeholders representing Waterway Guide, a coalition of membership organizations (including America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association (AGLCA), Seven Seas Cruising Association (SSCA), Marine Trawler Owners’ Association (MTOA), and Defever Cruisers), National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), and Save Georgia’s Anchorages contributed suggested revisions for GA’s Anchoring Law – HB201 and have submitted these changes to key GA legislators in hopes of getting a bill introduced in the 2020 session of the General Assembly.

We have stressed the point that responsible boaters want to be involved in the process and help to find solutions instead of being viewed as part of the problem. A summary of the suggested revisions to HB201 will be shared with our membership as soon as possible.

Kim Russo
Director
America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association

Our thanks to Ted Arisaka for this update from Kim Russo of AGLCA as posted on Forum and on Save Georgia’s Anchorages.

Update on Georgia Anchoring Law
If you’ve been following along with the rulemaking process to implement Georgia’s new anchoring law (HB 201) which gives DNR the authority to both require a permit for overnight anchoring and to determine where boats can and can’t anchor, we have an important update for you.
As of mid-September, DNR reports that they are still examining the possibility of requiring anchoring permits, but has no immediate plans for implementation. This is a change from the previously announced intention to require permits beginning next year.
In May, DNR issued a proposed rulemaking, which quickly caught the attention of boaters who were outraged by the idea of having to purchase a permit in order to anchor overnight in waterways in Georgia. After a public comment period with a high level of engagement from boaters, stakeholders including our coalition were invited to a meeting at DNR in July to further discuss ideas for implementation. At that meeting, DNR planned to go back to the drawing board and release a new set of permitting rules around October.
However, that plan has been abandoned for now. DNR currently has no immediate plan to move forward with the permitting process.
DNR is, however, moving forward with defining anchorage areas. The approved anchorage areas are expected be the whole state, minus shellfish beds and some setback from marine infrastructure. The setback distances for these anchoring exclusionary areas is still to be determined after additional input from marinas and other stakeholders.
While our group will remain vigilant as the rest of the rules pertaining to anchorage areas unfold, we view the current status as positive. The abandonment of permitting rules for the time being shows that the voices of boaters are behind heard. Many thanks to all of you who have taken part in this process to date.

Kim Russo

Georgia’s HB201 which restricts anchoring in ICW waters raised many concerns among cruisers. Enter “Anchoring” in our Homepage Search window for the numerous reactions and reports concerning the legislation. Our thanks to James H Newsome for this latest report.

Georgia’s DNR board and committees met yesterday for their regularly scheduled August meeting. There was no action item in the Coastal Committee nor DNR full board pertaining to the Anchoring Rule. Interesting sidebar here is that “they” refer to it as the Liveaboard Rule. Grrrrrr!

The agenda did include an update from Coastal Division Director Doug Haymans.

“Coastal Committee – Tab C

Rob Leebern, Chair

Members: Jones, Vice Chair, Addison, Lowe, McWhorter, Shailendra, Thomaston, Yancey

a) Action on proposed amendments to the Coastal Incentive Grant Program Description, Chapter 391-2-5-.01

through 391-2-5-.16 (Doug Haymans, Director of the Coastal Resources Division)

b) Update on Live Aboard Rule, Results from Public Comment (Doug Haymans, Director of the Coastal Resources

Division) (No material in board package)”

This is consistent with what we were told at the stakeholders meeting on July 31. My notes from that meeting were, “Director Haymans will present the public comments to members of the DNR Board in August and anticipates that new version of the rules should be available in September or October. This will be followed another public comment period and a public meeting to be announced. DNR may adjust the final rules following this period based on public comments. The rules will then be submitted to the DNR board for approval and implementation will take place January 1, 2020.”

FYI, Save Georgia’s Anchorages members Jack White Bob Keller and James H. Newsome co-wrote a letter explaining our concerns about HB201 and mailed it to the home addresses of every member of GA’s DNR Board well ahead of yesterday’s meeting. We wanted to make absolutely sure that the Coastal Committee and other DNR board members are aware that there are many Georgia boaters and national organizations who believe that HB201 is a bad law and needs to be repealed or rewritten in the next session of the General Assembly.

We are hopeful that Director Haymans will respond favorably with the next version of the proposed rules. It is very apparent that DNR’s original plan for implementing the new anchoring rules has been altered by the strong public push back. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and advise members here of any new developments.
James H Newsome