Data center, PFAS bills were a bust but Georgia environmentalists cheer boost for conservation

By Alander Rocha | Georgis Recorder | April 11, 2026

Read the full article by Alander Rocha (Georgis Recorder)

"The 2026 legislative session in Georgia started with a wide range of proposals aimed at curbing the recent surge in data center proposals and responding to other environmental or energy concerns.

And while most of those bills failed to overcome the last-minute frenzy of negotiations on the last day of session, a couple of proposals lived on and are awaiting Gov. Brian Kemp’s pen. The governor has a month to decide whether to sign bills passed this session into law.

A boost for conservation efforts

In a win for conservationists in Georgia, lawmakers extended the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program for another 10 years and increased the amount of funding dedicated to it by 50%. Since its inception in 2019, the program has allocated over $142 million to 74 conservation and outdoor recreation projects in Georgia, including the recent acquisition of nearly 4,000 acres along Trail Ridge near the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge for conservation and activities such as hunting and fishing."