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Last Friday, the House Transportation Committee passed Senate Bill 164, legislation that expands the ability of billboard companies to cut down trees along Georgia highways.

The House is expected to vote on this bill Wednesday, April 1st or earlier.

As currently written, this bill would:
-Eliminate a 5 year waiting period between the time a billboard is erected and when a billboard company can receive a permit to trim or remove trees. The waiting period has been part of law for more than a decade to help ensure no permits are issued for the purpose of creating new billboards.
-Erase the current system where DOT permit fees are based upon the value of the vegetation being removed in front of a billboard in favor of a fee of $4500 minus the cost to the billboard company of purchasing, installing and maintaining replacement landscaping. This could result in less revenue for the Roadside Enhancement and Beautification Fund.
-Put trees planted as part of beautification projects at risk of being cut down to maximize billboard visibility if they were planted after January 1, 2009.
-Allow the removal of hardwood trees more than 8 inches in diameter and nonhardwood trees having a diameter of more than 12 inches.
-Phase in the expanded tree cutting provisions over three years rather than setting up a pilot program with a sunset date to allow for an analysis of its effectiveness.

Act now to tell your state representative to amend the bill or vote NO on Senate Bill 164 to protect our trees along Georgia's highways. The state should not grant a "right to be seen" to billboards at the expense of trees, taxpayers and scenic beauty.

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