Coastal Georgia regulators are considering changes to a rule aimed at safeguarding the state’s marshes, a vital part of the coastal ecosystem that functions as a buffer against storms and rising sea levels. However, advocates argue that this proposed change highlights the need for a more comprehensive review of marsh protections.
Georgia passed a law half a century ago to protect its coastal salt marsh, resulting in the state being home to half a million acres of salt marsh — the second-largest amount in the country and a third of the marshes on the East Coast. These marshes play a critical role in absorbing strong storm surges and capturing carbon in their grasses and mud.
Advocates are wary of changes to the state’s marsh law, fearing that modifications to allow more development could lead to actual erosion of the coastline itself.
At a recent public meeting on the proposed change, state officials attempted to address concerns and clarified that the amendment is not intended to roll back any marsh protections.
While salt marshes exist along much of the country’s coastline, many have been degraded or destroyed by human activities. Efforts to restore marsh habitat are underway in various regions, including the recent launch of a new regional initiative in the Southeast aimed at better protecting the marshes in the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida.
In Georgia, most structures built in the coastal marshes require a permit under the marsh protection law known as CMPA. These projects also receive a 50-foot buffer to prevent building or paving in an area that might affect the marsh. The buffer rule is what the Coastal Resources Division (CRD) is seeking to amend, as it can pose challenges for smaller projects.
The proposed rule change aims to exempt small projects from the upland component buffer requirement, with shoreline stabilization projects and other marsh-related construction still needing CMPA permits.
However, critics are calling for a more comprehensive review and a stakeholder committee to evaluate how projects are approved and the rules that protect the marsh.
It’s a crucial moment for Georgia’s coastal marshes, with concerns about erosion, shoreline stability, and the overall impact of development. The Coastal Resources Division is accepting public comments about the proposed change to marsh buffers until January 19.
