Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff today pressed against any sale of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, securing a commitment from the Interior Secretary.
In a U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies hearing today, Sen. Ossoff secured a commitment from Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to not pursue any sale of any part of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.
Sen. Ossoff’s question to Secretary Burgum comes after House Republicans recentlyapproved an amendment to sell thousands of acres of public lands in the West.
“I know there’s been some public discussion about sale of public lands. Can you give an unequivocal guarantee that you will not pursue any sale of any part of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge?” Sen. Ossoff asked Secretary Burgum, to which he said “Yes.”
Last fall, the Interior Department announced that the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge will be nominated to join the UNESCO World Heritage List — a prestigious honor that has widespread bipartisan support in Georgia and for which Sen. Ossoff has advocated for years.
Sen. Ossoff also asked Secretary Burgum to continue the Interior Department’s support for this designation.
Former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue, who served as Secretary of Agriculture during the last Trump Administration, has backed the Okefenokee’s bid, as have other local leaders across the State.
Click here to watch Sen. Ossoff’s line of questioning.
Sen. Ossoff continues his strong advocacy to protect the Okefenokee.
In January of this year, following Sen. Ossoff’s push, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced progress to expand protections of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.
Last December, following Sen. Ossoff’s bipartisan push, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced that it will nominate the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge for the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Last 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.
In October 2023, 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.
In September 2023, following Sen. Ossoff’s bipartisan push, the National Park Serviceannounced it intended 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 a public comment period.
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.
Please find a transcript of Sen. Ossoff’s remarks and questioning below:
SEN. OSSOFF: “Mr. Secretary, welcome. How are you?”
SEC. BURGUM: “I’m great.”
SEN. OSSOFF: “Mr. Secretary, are you familiar with the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia?”
SEC. BURGUM: “I’m not familiar, no.”
SEN. OSSOFF: “I’d love to get you down to visit. Can you do that?”
SEC. BURGUM: “I would love to get to Georgia.”
SEN. OSSOFF: “We would love to welcome you to visit the Okefenokee. It is one of our state’s great treasures, one of the most beautiful, biodiverse wildlife refuges in North America, the largest blackwater swamp of its kind in North America.
“There is an effort with bipartisan support that the previous Administration supported to secure UNESCO World Heritage Site designation for the Okefenokee.
“This has strong bipartisan support among local officials, State officials in Georgia, former Governor Sonny Perdue, Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, among them.
“Will you continue to support our efforts to secure UNESCO World Heritage Site designation for the Okefenokee, which is now in your purview as part of a National Wildlife Refuge System?”
SEC. BURGUM: “Well I’m certainly interested in learning more about it. I know that that’s a lengthy, lengthy process, of achieving that. So, I would love to understand all the implications of, of supporting, and if there’s budget implications for Interior, but I’d certainly happy to take a look at it.”
SEN. OSSOFF: “Well, we need your support. We need to get you down there as well, to spend some time at the refuge.
“I know there’s been some public discussion about sale of public lands. Can you give an unequivocal guarantee that you will not pursue any sale of any part of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge?”
SEC. BURGUM: “Yes.”
SEN. OSSOFF: “Thank you so much for that.”
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