Sen. Ossoff Statement on Okefenokee Swamp Land Deal

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “Historic land deal halts mine planned next to Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp”
Atlanta, Ga.— U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff released the following statement.
“This step toward protecting the Okefenokee Swamp is great news for all Georgians and our beloved natural treasure.
“For years, I’ve been sounding the alarm that strip mining near the Okefenokee Swamp poses irreversible damage to an irreplaceable natural resource.
“I will continue to champion efforts to protect Georgia’s beloved natural resources and beloved outdoor spaces.”
For years, Sen. Ossoff has championed efforts to protect the Okefenokee Swamp.
In a U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies hearing last month, Sen. Ossoffsecured a commitmentfrom U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum to not pursue any sale of any part of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.
This January,following Sen. Ossoff’s push, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)announcedprogress to expand protections of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.
Last December, following Sen. Ossoff’sbipartisan push, the U.S. Department of the Interiorannouncedthat the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge would be nominated to join the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Last April, Sen. Ossoff submitted apublic commentto the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) opposing permits for the strip mine near the Okefenokee during the agency’s public comment period.
In October 2023, Sen. Ossoffdelivered a $1.6 million Federal grantthrough the Land and Water Conservation Fund to improve safety and connectivity within the park, while also taking steps to improve preservation measures at the campgrounds within the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.
In September 2023, following Sen. Ossoff’s bipartisan push, the National Park Serviceannounced it intended to nominatethe Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge for UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list.
Citing warnings from leading scientists and experts, Sen. Ossoff submitted in February 2023 hisformal oppositionto the proposed strip mine next to the Okefenokee Swamp during a public comment period.
In September 2022, at Sen. Ossoff’s invitation, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland joined himto survey the Refugeand meet with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials on the Refuge’s conservation status and environmental risks. They also heard directly from local leaders about the importance of protecting the Refuge for the communities in the area.
# # #