About the Board of Natural Resources

The Board of Natural Resources consists of 19 citizens appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Georgia Senate. The Board is responsible for setting rules and regulations ranging from air and water quality to hunting seasons and provides input into issues such as the agency’s budget recommendations and legislative initiatives. The Board meets 10 times a year. The dates and locations will be posted on the DNR website.

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What are the Board's Powers and Duties?

By law (O.C.G.A. § 12-2-24), the Board has the power to establish the general policies to be followed by the Department of Natural Resources that is administered by the Commissioner of Natural Resources. It also enacts rules under the Administrative Procedures Act that govern the work of the Department.

The Board does not manage or administer the Department, which is the responsibility of the Commissioner of Natural Resources and the Environmental Protection Division Director. The Board does, pursuant to law and subject to the approval of the Governor, appoint the Commissioner of Natural Resources and the Director of the Environmental Protection Division. By its own policies, it approves the appointment of all other Division Directors. The Department consists of the Environmental Protection Division, the Coastal Resources Division, the Wildlife Resources Division, the Parks, Recreation and Historic Sites Division, and the Historic Preservation Division.

The Board does not issue environmental permits or make regulatory decisions in environmental matters. Further, it is not legally empowered to alter or modify permits or licenses. The Board does not have any power to affect or deal with matters concerning The Stone Mountain Memorial Association, the Jekyll Island State Park Authority, or the Lake Lanier Islands Development Authority. The Commissioner, or his designee, is by law a member of the governing boards of those authorities, but the Board of Natural Resources does not act on any of the activities of those separate authorities. Pursuant to an Army Corps of Engineers lease, the Department is the “landlord” for the Lake Lanier Islands Development Authority, but does not have a role in the day-to-day operation of the facility located at Lake Lanier.

Who are the Board of Natural Resources?

 

 

Lesley Reynolds

Chair, At-Large

Committees

• Whole, Chair
• Administrative, Chair

 

 

Patrick Denney

Vice Chair, 3^rd District

Committees

• Whole, Vice Chair
• Administrative, Vice Chair
• Environmental Protection
• Law Enforcement
• Legislative
• State Parks & Historic Sites

 

 

Randy Dellinger

Secretary, 13^th District

Committees

• Whole, Secretary
• Administrative, Secretary
• Coastal, Vice Chair
• Land
• Law Enforcement
• State Parks & Historic Sites

 

 

Nancy A. Addison

Board Member, Coastal District

Committees

• Coastal, Chair
• Environmental Protection
• Land
• Legislative
• State Parks & Historic Sites

 

 

Jeff Andrews

Board Member, 4^th District

Committees

• Law Enforcement, Chair
• Environmental Protection
• Land
• Legislative
• Wildlife Resources

 

 

Charles DePriest

Board Member, At-Large

Committees

• Wildlife Resources, Chair
• Coastal
• Law Enforcement
• State Parks & Historic Sites

 

 

Dan Garcia

Board Member, 11^th District

Committees

• State Parks & Historic Sites, Chair
• Environmental Protection
• Land
• Law Enforcement
• Wildlife Resources

 

 

Joe Hatfield

Board Member, 9^th District

Committees

• Law Enforcement, Vice Chair
• Coastal
• Land
• Legislative
• Wildlife Resources

 

 

Mark W. Hennessy

Board Member, At-Large

Committees

• State Parks & Historic Sites, Vice Chair
• Coastal
• Land
• Law Enforcement
• Legislative
• Wildlife Resources

 

 

Penn Hodge

Board Member, 7^th District

Committees

• Coastal
• Environmental Protection
• Land
• Legislative
• Wildlife Resources

 

 

Steve Hufstetler

Board Member, At-Large

Committees

• Wildlife Resources, Vice Chair
• Environmental Protection
• Land
• Law Enforcement
• Legislative

 

 

Duncan N. Johnson, Jr.

Board Member, 12^th District

Committees

• Land, Vice Chair
• Environmental Protection
• Law Enforcement
• State Parks & Historic Sites
• Wildlife Resources

 

 

Alfred W. "Bill" Jones, III

Board Member, 1^st District

Committees

• Coastal
• Environmental Protection
• Legislative
• State Parks & Historic Sites

 

 

Ray Lambert, Jr.

Board Member, 10^th District

Committees

• Environmental Protection, Chair
• Coastal
• Legislative
• State Parks & Historic Sites

 

 

Brent Layton

Board Member, 5^th District

Committees

• Legislative, Vice Chair
• Coastal
• Environmental Protection
• State Parks & Historic Sites
• Wildlife Resources

 

 

Mike Peavy

Board Member, 8^th District

Committees

• Coastal
• Law Enforcement
• Legislative
• Wildlife Resources

 

 

Paul Shailendra

Board Member, 6^th District

Committees

• Legislative, Chair
• Coastal
• Environmental Protection
• Land

 

 

Jeff "Bodine" Sinyard

Board Member, 2^nd District

Committees

• Environmental Protection, Vice Chair
• Law Enforcement
• State Parks & Historic Sites
• Wildlife Resources

 

 

Harley Yancey

Board Member, 14^th District

Committees

• Land, Chair
• Coastal
• Law Enforcement
• State Parks & Historic Sites

Board Executive Assistant

Taylor Fisher   |    taylor.fisher@dnr.ga.gov