Lawmakers have reintroduced a bill that would establish Georgia’s first National Park and Preserve.
Senators Jon Ossoff, Reverend Raphael Warnock, and Representatives Austin Scott and Sanford Bishop Jr. first introduced the bill in May 2024. In November of that year, the bill passed the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Now, the bill has been brought to the floor once again.
While Georgia has several national historic parks and monuments, it does not have a park dedicated specifically to the preservation of wildlife and natural beauty. The proposed park would protect the ancestral land of the Muscogee Nation (also known as the Creek Native Americans) located in Middle Georgia. During the Mississippian Period, the Muskogean people built the Ocmulgee Mounds on the land for meetings, agriculture, and burials.
The park and preserve would raise awareness about this historical landmark, encourage public hunting and fishing, and attract visitors to boost the local economy.
Principal Chief David Hill of the Muscogee Nation expressed his support, stating, “The Muscogee Nation remains steadfast in [our] support of the Ocmulgee Mounds National Park and Preserve Bill.”
