Officials introduce bill to upgrade water infrastructure across Coastal Georgia

Georgia Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff have introduced new legislation to upgrade water infrastructure in the state – the Coastal Georgia Flooding Prevention Act.

The bill would establish a new authority for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to carry out water infrastructure projects in Glynn, Chatham, Bryan, Effingham, McIntosh, and Camden Counties, which would improve quality of life, strengthen resilience, and prevent flooding along the coast.

“Amidst a surge of economic development across Coastal Georgia, we need to ensure our water infrastructure keeps up with increased demand,” Sen. Ossoff said. “That’s why Senator Reverend Warnock and I are introducing this new bill to help Coastal Georgia communities partner with the U.S. Army Corps on vital projects to improve resilience and quality of life for families and businesses across the region.”

“Investing in coastal water infrastructure is essential for protecting our communities from the devastating effects of flooding. This legislation represents a critical step forward in enhancing our resilience against climate change and extreme weather events,” Senator Reverend Warnock added.

In 2022, Sens. Ossoff and Rev. Warnock passed into law their Tybee Island Storm Risk Management Act, which extended the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ authority to partner with Tybee Island on beach renourishment and storm risk management projects for 12 years.

Also, Ossoff and Rev. Warnock similarly passed into law in 2022 their Port of Brunswick Navigation Channel Improvement Act to make upgrades to the Port’s navigation channel to help increased shipping traffic safely navigate the Port – boosting capacity and helping reduce supply chain bottlenecks.