Governor Perdue Issues Executive Order Releasing $7 Million to Fight the Southeast Georgia Wildfires

ATLANTA – Governor Sonny Perdue issued an Executive Order today that releases $7 million in unspent state funds to fight the wildfires in southeast Georgia.  The fires have burned over 130,000 acres in Georgia.

"These additional funds will allow the communities to continue fighting the fires and assist in their recovery," said Governor Perdue. "Because we budgeted conservatively we are now able to release these funds to assist the emergency facing those in southeast Georgia."

State law allows that when there are insufficient funds in the State Forestry Commission, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency and other agencies that assist in emergencies, the Governor has the authority to transfer any unspent funds from the state treasury and reallocate it to the Governor’s Emergency Fund to assist in the emergency response.

A copy of the Executive Order follows:

Whereas:               The wildland fires across southeastern Georgia have caused a State of Emergency to be declared under the "Georgia Emergency Management Act of 1981," under Order of May 2, 2007; and

Whereas:               The wildland fires have grown in excess of 130,000 acres, are not yet fully contained, and continue to threaten populated areas, the safety of the public, and property; and

Whereas:               The State Forestry Commission and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency have shown that present funds are not sufficient for paying the expenses of fire fighting and recovery; and

Whereas:               The assistance of the State of Georgia is needed through these two agencies and other public agencies with insufficient funds to protect the public health, preserve the public safety, prevent major destruction, and restore the social and economic welfare of these communities; and

Whereas:               The provisions of O.C.G.A. § 38-3-51 provide that when the available funds are not sufficient for the purpose of paying such expenses incident to carrying out activities authorized by the "Georgia Emergency Management Act of 1981," the Governor may transfer from any available fund in the state treasury such sum as may be necessary to meet the emergency or disaster; and the moneys so transferred shall be repaid to the fund from which transferred when moneys become available for that purpose by legislative appropriation or otherwise; and

Whereas:               The Office of Treasury and Fiscal Services and the Department of Revenue have advised that the Department of Revenue has $7,000,000 in unalloted, unneeded state general funds for the current fiscal year.

Now, Therefore, pursuant to the authority vested in me as Governor of the State of Georgia, It Is Hereby

Ordered:                That the Department Treasury and Fiscal Services electronically transfer from the unalloted, state general fund appropriations account of the Department of Revenue $7,000,000 to Office of the Governor – Governor’s Emergency Fund.

It is further

Ordered:                That these funds, upon requisition, will be made available for personnel, equipment and other resources and activities authorized by the "Georgia Emergency Management Act of 1981," and for matching federal funds for similar purposes, as deemed necessary to assist the State Forestry Commission, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency and other governmental entities so eligible, in the response and recovery activities currently being undertaken for this State of Emergency.

This 18th day of May, 2007.