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that there are many Georgia boaters and national organizations who believe that HB201 is a bad law and needs to be repealed or rewritten in the next session of the General Assembly.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