Representatives Rick McCormick (R) and Andrew Clyde (R) have collaborated to introduce new legislation preserving recreation sites located along Lake Lanier. The Lanier Parks Local Access Act will empower local partners who manage the sites to better allocate collected funds.
Currently, local partners are only allowed to support sites with fines collected from the sites themselves, and not from a broader pool of funds collected. The new bill will allow local partners to draw resources from a broader collection to better maintain the sites.
For context, Rep. McCormick and Rep. Clyde have spearheaded this effort because their districts include parts of Lake Lanier. Protecting the area and ensuring their constituents' access to the site is an important responsibility for them.
Clyde commented on the significance of this bill and referenced his long-held commitment to protecting Lake Lanier from all kinds of threats, including name changes and closures.
“Expanding local governments’ authority over user fees provides a strong incentive for cities and counties to lease recreational sites from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, therefore ensuring more areas remain open,” Clyde elaborated. “I’m confident that my legislation offers a simple yet effective solution to help keep Lake Lanier parks open, safe, and well-maintained for residents and visitors alike.”
McCormick expressed pride in the legislation for its empowerment of local governments and its common-sense agenda. He continued, “This bill ensures that user fees work smarter, not harder, to keep our parks accessible, safe, and clean. I’m grateful for the opportunity to work alongside Rep. Clyde to support strong community spaces for families and visitors to enjoy!”
This issue has a history and this is not the first time that McCormick has come to the defense of Lake Lanier. Back in May of this year, several sites along the lake were to be closed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers due to funding cuts by DOGE.
Senator Raphael Warnock (D) brought this to attention as an attempt to criticize the Trump administration, but failed to do anything about it. McCormick responded by personally calling the Army Corps and ensuring that the sites would remain open for Memorial Day weekend.
