State Representative Lynn Smith (R-Newnan), chair of the House Natural Resources & Environment Committee, recently served in several key leadership roles at the annual meeting of the Southern States Energy Board, the Southern Legislative Conference and the 13th Annual Georgia Environmental Conference.

“Serving on these key regional organizations has certainly increased my knowledge on important issues facing Georgia and the Southern states, as well as given me the opportunity to discuss Georgia’s accomplishments and challenges,” said Rep. Smith. “I am honored that my colleagues selected me for leadership roles in these respective organizations.”

At the annual meeting of the SSEB, held September 17, 2018 in Biloxi, Mississippi, Rep. Smith was elected to the Executive Board. The SSEB is a non-profit interstate compact organization created in 1960. The board’s mission is to enhance economic development and the quality of life in the South through innovations in energy and environmental policies, programs and technologies. SSEB is composed of sixteen southern states and two territories (Puerto Rico and U. S.  Virgin Islands). In 2017, Rep. Smith served as an ex-officio member of the SSEB’s Executive Board.

The annual SLC was held in St. Louis, Missouri from July 21-25, 2018. Rep. Smith served as the chair of SLC’s Energy and Environment Committee from 2017-2018 and chaired her final meeting while in St. Louis. In addition to its annual business meeting, the Energy and Environment Committee held several sessions on topics such as leveraging resources for brownfield restoration; Oklahoma’s coal combustion residuals permit program; the future of electricity storage and the US grid; and the legislative round table where SLC members brief each other on new measures undertaken in their respective states. The Energy and Environment Committee also went on a technical tours of the Ameren Missouri’s Maryland Heights Renewable Energy Center and Dorsett Training Center.

Lastly, Rep. Smith served as the keynote speaker at the 13^th Annual Georgia Environmental Conference, which was held at the Jekyll Island Convention Center on August 22-24, 2018. Rep. Smith spoke on updates to Georgia environmental and energy policies.  The Annual Georgia Environmental Conference is the largest, most comprehensive and diverse educational opportunity, which was attended by over 700 Local, State, and Federal Government Officials, Business and Industry Leaders, Attorneys, Consultants, Engineers, Developers, Land Owners, Architects, Agribusiness Leaders, Energy Experts, Water Planning Districts, Universities, Public Health Officials, Solid Waste, Enviro-Tech, and Recycling Experts, and others with a strong interest in environmental activities in Georgia and the Southeast region.