Garden Club Members – Save the Okefenokee
We need your help to get legislation passed in the Georgia General Assembly to protect the Okefenokee Swamp from future mining operations along Trail Ridge – the eastern boundary of the swamp. Share this information with your club members. We need everyone to take action.
The new legislative session starts on January 8th. Let’s have a ton of emails and letters from Garden Club members across the state – sent to our State Legislators – showing them how much we care about this national treasure in Georgia.
The Okefenokee Protection Act -House Bill 71 – – was sponsored by a bipartisan group of 90+ legislators in the Georgia Gen. Assembly. We need pressure to get it out of Committee and go to the Floor for a vote, be passed and then go to the Senate.
Please write to your Georgia legislator today.
Click here to find your legislator in the Georgia Gen. Assembly
https://pluralpolicy.com/find-your-legislator/
Enter your address and both Federal and State legislator will appear. Click on your Georgia State Representative and his/her email address will appear. Write a note in your own words to express your concerns. Pick the talking points most meaningful to you. Be sure to say you are a constituent living in (town/city) and a member of the garden club. If you prefer to take the time to write a letter and mail to the Atlanta office – please do so. That would be great.
If your legislator co-sponsored the bill, thank him/her. If he/she did not – ask him/her to do so and support the fight to protect the OKE. Here is a list of the bill co-sponsors as of 12/31/23 –
HB 71 Oke Protection Act 2023 Cosponsors
For more information to educate yourself on this important issue can be found in this document that you can share with other members of your garden club –
https://gardenclubofgeorgia.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/OKE-information-for-GCG-Members.pdf
A flyer that you can send with your email to your legislators can be found here – Okefenokee Fact Sheet
Thank you for your help in this effort. Your actions are very important.
Barbara Bourque
GCG Legislative Chairman
Tally Sweat
GCG Legislative Co-Chairman
If you get a response from your legislator, we would love to see a copy. Contact us with any questions. Thank you.