Politics & Government
State Senate Approves GDOT Exemption to Environmental Reporting Requirements For U.S. 441 Widening In Oconee County
The modified version contained the stipulation that "an environmental evaluation shall be considered in the decision-making process.
The Georgia Senate voted a few hours before the session ended last night to exempt the Georgia Department of Transportation from the requirements of the Georgia Environmental Policy Act.
The Senate vote was on an amended version of the original Senate Bill 346, and Sen. Bill Cowsert, who represents Oconee County, voted with the majority. Cowsert also is the Senate majority leader.
The modified version, written by the House, contained the stipulation that “an environmental evaluation shall be considered in the decision-making process” by GDOT even though GDOT will be exempt from the provisions of the state’s Environmental Policy Act when road projects fall under $100 million.
Rep. Reginal Quick and Rep. Chuck Williams voted against bill when it passed the House on Tuesday. Cowsert, Quick and Williams are all Republicans.
The bill likely will have impact on the GDOT requirements for the widening of U.S. 441 from Watkinsville in Oconee County to Madison in Morgan County. That widening is expected to include a bypass of Bishop.
GDOT has split initial work on that project between the two counties and likely could bring the parts of the work in under $100 million if it follows that strategy on subsequent awards.
For more about the bill and its impact, go to Oconee County Observations.