Sweeping changes to the state’s Soil and Water Conservation Commission won passage Thursday from the Senate, a day after the commission’s board fired its executive director.
The past year had been a trying one for Brent Dykes — as he alluded to in an email obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that was sent Wednesday to staff and supporters announcing his departure.
“It has become increasingly evident that it is time for someone else to lead this organization; someone who has the full support of the current state board,” said Dykes, an 18-year veteran of the agency. “I am grateful for the opportunity afforded me by the board to be a steward of the agency as executive director for the past 7 years. I have tried each day to make the best decisions for the agency while balancing the many budget and policy demands the agency has faced.”
Deputy Executive Director Dave Eigenberg has temporarily been tasked with leading the agency, which drafts the state’s manual that outlines how to control erosion and prevent more dirt and runoff from seeping into Georgia’s waterways.
The Senate's 31-19 vote sends House Bill 397 back to the House, despite environmentalists' objections that it gives Gov. Nathan Deal too much control over the commission and could affect how it makes decisions affecting the state's water quality.
Under the governor’s plan, the commission would shift from a stand-alone agency to one that’s overseen by the Department of Agriculture. It also would allow the governor to appoint whomever he chooses to its five-member board, rather than limiting his picks to the elected supervisors of the state’s 40 soil and water districts.
Supporters of the measure pitched it as a way to streamline environmental regulations for prospective employers who want to move or expand in Georgia. They also said it continues to allow qualified people to be appointed to the board.
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