Georgia coastal regulators want to change rules to protect the state's wetlands, which act as buffers against storms and rising sea levels and are important parts of the coastal ecosystem. But supporters say the seemingly small changes point to the need for a broader review of wetland protection.
The state passed a law protecting coastal salt marshes. half a century agoSo Georgia currently only has 160 miles of coastline. 500,000 acres of salt marsh — It is the second most common salt marsh in the country and accounts for one-third of the wetlands on the East Coast. These wetlands absorb the power of strong storm surges, capture carbon In their grass and mud.
As such, coastal advocates are particularly sensitive to changes to the state's wetland laws, worried that amendments that allow for further development could erode protections and lead to actual erosion of the shoreline itself.
But during a public meeting last week about the proposed changes, state officials sought to allay concerns.
„This amendment is not intended to roll back wetland protections,“ said Jill Andrews, director of coastal management for the state's Department of Coastal Resources. „Nothing changes about the actual Coastal Wetland Protection Act itself. It is not and never will be intended to be an express bulkhead or shoreline hardening.“
Salt marshes exist along most of the nation's coastlines, from New England to Florida, along the Gulf Coast, to the West Coast, but many have been degraded or destroyed by development, industry, and other human activities. . A multi-million dollar initiative is in progress at many of those places to Restoring wetland habitat.In the Southeast, coastal managers New regional initiatives The goal is to restore and better protect wetlands in the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida.
In Georgia, most structures built on the state's well-preserved coastal wetlands require a permit under the Wetlands Protection Act, also known as the CMPA. This also applies to large piers, marinas, or lengths of bulkheads, a type of small wall along the waterfront designed to prevent shoreline erosion in someone's backyard.
These projects also have a 50-foot buffer zone, an area of dry land where no building or paving is allowed because it could impact wetlands. The buffer line is measured from the portion of the project furthest from the marsh, known to regulators as the „upland section.“ For marinas, this may include buildings such as dry dock boat storage, restrooms, and shops. In the case of shoreline stabilization, such as bulkheads, the only upland component may be underground anchors that hold the structure in place.
The buffer rule is something the CRD wants to change because it says it can be a problem for small projects.
At a public meeting last week, Andrews explained that bulkhead cushioning on residential lots could penetrate the house. In the example she gave, the buffer covers most of the home's backyard. That means homeowners can't build things like sheds, fire pits or swings without special permission from the CRD, which the CRD says is a burden to both the homeowner and the agency.
So the agency is proposing a rule change that would exempt small projects from the upland component buffer requirements. Andrews and other CRD officials who attended the meeting said that even if the project is exempt from buffer rules, shoreline stabilization projects and anything else built on wetlands would still require a CMPA permit. He emphasized that there is.
But critics say it's time for a more comprehensive review. In lieu of rule changes, some environmental groups are calling on the stakeholder committee to comprehensively consider how projects are approved and what rules protect wetlands. There is.
Bill Sapp of the Southern Environmental Law Center said at the meeting that while bulkhead construction can stabilize coastlines in the short term, bulkheads are of particular concern because they can cause long-term damage to wetlands. said. And while each project is small, Sapp said they can be built upon.
„As sea levels rise, we will see bulkhead construction along Georgia's coastline for years to come,“ he said.
And advocates said the permitting question points to a larger concern that the development is too close to wetlands.
Josiah Watts grew up on Sapelo Island and now works for the environmental organization One Hundred Miles. He told meeting attendees that the wetland is both a protective coastal buffer and a sacred site, and the state should reconsider building permits near the wetland.
“When we’re talking about bulkheads, we’re also talking about development,” he said. “That means there will be construction and buildings near these spaces on the coast and wetlands.”
The Coastal Resources Board is accepting public comments on proposed wetland buffer changes until January 19th.