Sen. Ossoff Backing a Proposed Expansion of the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge

Folkston, Ga. - U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is backing a proposed expansion of the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge.

Today, Sen. Ossoff voiced his support during the public comment period with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), which is considering a proposal that would expand the boundary of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, adding approximately 22,000 acres adjacent to the existing Refuge.

The Fish & Wildlife Service is seeking public input on the proposal through Friday, December 13.

"It is vitally important that we continue to protect the Okefenokee Swamp and its irreplaceable ecosystem that is an economic driver for our state and a cherished treasure for millions of Georgians,"Sen. Ossoff wrote to FWS Southeast Regional Director Mike Oetker. "Importantly, this proposed expansion would preserve private property rights by enabling FWS to 'work with willing landowners to explore voluntary conservation, including potential acquisition, that would further protect the refuge's globally significant freshwater wetland system and wildlife habitat.' Given the importance of protecting the Okefenokee to my State, our Nation, and future generations, I strongly support the FWS proposed boundary expansion."

The Okefenokee is the largest blackwater swamp in North America. It contains a National Wildlife Refuge and U.S. Wilderness Area and is one of Georgia's top sites for outdoor recreation and tourism, drawing more than 600,000 visitors per year, and one of Georgia's most beloved and environmentally significant wild places.

The Okefenokee also holds significant cultural importance to Native American tribes, including the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. The Refuge contains at least 74 Native American mounds.

Sen. Ossoff continues his strong advocacy to protect the Okefenokee.

In April, Sen. Ossoff submitted a public comment to the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) opposing permits for a strip mine near the Okefenokee during the agency's public comment period.

Last October, Sen. Ossoff delivered a $1.6 million Federal grant through 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.

Last September, following Sen. Ossoff's bipartisan push, the National Park Service announced it intends to nominate the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge for UNESCO's World Heritage Site list.

Citing warnings from leading scientists and experts, Sen. Ossoff submitted in February 2023 his formal opposition to the proposed strip mine next to the Okefenokee Swamp during the previous round of public comments.

In September 2022, at Sen. Ossoff's invitation, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland joined him to survey the Refuge and 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.

Click here to read Sen. Ossoff's letter to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

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