Wednesday morning (February 28) at 9:30 in Atlanta at Liberty Plaza across from the state capitol Georgia legislators, business leaders, and conservation groups publicly oppose allowing oil and gas development off of Georgia’s coast as the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management holds a public listening session in Atlanta.

Over 140 East Coast local governments have resolutions opposing offshore drilling – including Atlanta, Savannah, Tybee Island, Brunswick, St. Marys, Kingsland, Hinesville, and Porterdale. This opposition is joined by growing bi-partisan calls from Georgia leaders, including Reps Carl Gilliard, Ron Stephens, Bill Hitchens, Sam Park, and Don Hogan; and Senators Lester Jackson, Ben Watson, and William Ligon, to remove Georgia from this newly proposed oil and gas leasing program which exposes our coast to this dangerous plan.

While Governor Deal has yet to confirm opposition to drilling and seismic testing, many Georgia leaders clearly stand with coastal communities and recognize the importance of protecting our coast.

Invited Speakers:

• Rep. Gilliard (D-Garden City): Member of Interstate Cooperation, State Properties and Transportation committees
• Rep. Hogan (R-St. Simon’s Island): Member of Economic Development & Tourism, Information and Audits, and Natural Resources and Environment committees
• Rep. Stephens (R-Savannah): Chairman of Economic Development & Tourism committee, member of Appropriations, Rules, and Ways & Means committees
• Sen. Lester Jackson (D-District 2): Chairman of Urban Affairs committee, member of Finance, Health and Human Services, and Higher Education committees
• Frank Knapp Jr: President/CEO, Business Alliance for Protecting the Atlantic Coast (BAPAC)
• Megan Desrosiers: Executive Director of One Hundred Miles
• Jennette Gayer: Executive Director of Environment Georgia