Soil amendment bill, adding more local control, must wait another year for House vote

A Georgia House bill that would give counties some options in regulating and enforcing the spread of soil amendments did not make it out of committee this session before Crossover Day, the last day for bills to pass either the Georgia House or Senate to have a chance at becoming law.

Soil amendments, often wastewater from animal product processing, are marketed as a way to improve agricultural land, but many local communities say they are being applied improperly and allowed to stink or attract pests. Rep. Rob Leverett, R-Elberton introduced HB 477 to allow counties to collect information on what amendments were being spread where, and issue cease and desist orders for egregious violations of the law. It was assigned to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

"It hasn't had a hearing before committee and probably will not have a hearing until sometime later this month," Leverett said Monday. "I'm hoping we can schedule a hearing and at least try to educate the committee on the details, and the background of soil amendments and let them learn what an important program it is and what's going on that needs to be addressed and curtailed."

The bipartisan bill is cosponsored by Rep. Jesse Petrea, R-Savannah; Rep. Brian Prince, D-Augusta; and, Rep. Mack Jackson, D-Sandersville. Next year, the second year of the legislative cycle, the bill will pick back up where it was in the process without having to be re-introduced.

"I'm trying to get feedback and input from people and make, you know, appropriate changes to address what I think are relevant and valid concerns, and hope to have a good product to submit to the committee and hopefully to have them act on it," Leverett said.

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The bill was also backed by the Association County Commissioners of Georgia. With the bill on pause for the moment, Kathleen Bowen, associate director of governmental affairs for ACCG, said the organization is now hoping for appropriations for the Department of Agriculture to increase enforcement. She also hopes the bill will get a hearing in the Natural Resources committee to educate lawmakers.

As of the first of the year, the Department of Agriculture also implemented new, stricter rules about soil amendments. On Feb. 16, the new Secretary of Agriculture Tyler Harper wrote to the chairs of the Georgia House and Senate Agriculture committees saying the department is planning a 90-day review of the new rules to see if they address "issues raised by residents, community leaders, and industry professionals."

While the new regulations increase the requirements for registering and applying amendments, they do not give any additional authority to counties to monitor or enforce them.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Soil amendment enforcement by counties will have to wait another year