The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) relaunched the Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC) reappointing Fairburn, GA Mayor Hattie Portis-Jones. Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff also introduced the bipartisan Mystic Alerts Act to upgrade the nation’s emergency alert system by enabling satellite delivered Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs).
Local Government Advisory Committee Relaunched
After taking the last year to review the committee’s work, EPA announced the revitalization of LGAC, an independent, policy-oriented advisory group comprised of state and local officials that provide advice and recommendations to the EPA Administrator on critical environmental issues impacting local governments.
Fairburn Mayor Hattie Portis-Jones was reappointed to serve on the committee, ensuring Georgia cities’ perspective is represented. The 22-member committee represents a broad range of communities across the country, including 13 new appointments and nine reappointments or continuing members.
The LGAC will begin its new charter focused on the challenges local governments face navigating the siting and development of AI infrastructure and data centers in a sustainable manner. This work will be discussed at a virtual public meeting this September, which will be published soon in the Federal Register.
Mystic Alerts Act
Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced the Mystic Alerts Act to keep emergency alerts moving when cell networks go down. The legislation was inspired by the tragic Camp Mystic flood on July 4, 2025, in Texas where more than 100 lives were lost and many impacted residents never received alerts due to damaged cellular networks. Once floodwaters damaged cell towers and other equipment, wireless emergency alerts failed to reach many people in the flood zone.
Floods, hurricanes, and wildfires can damage or overload cell towers, stopping emergency alerts from reaching people in the storm's path. Georgia communities saw this during Hurricane Helene. The Mystic Alerts Act would:
- Allow cellular companies to partner with satellite providers to deliver wireless emergency alerts during emergencies.
- Direct the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to write rules that integrate satellite delivery without weakening the existing alert system.
- Create a new pathway for alerts to reach areas where ground-based infrastructure has been destroyed or knocked offline.
To protect consumer choice, the bill also requires mobile providers to file their satellite alert election with the FCC, notify subscribers, and honor optout preferences—while prohibiting any additional fees for satellite alert capability.
For Georgia communities, that would mean more reliable alerts during flash floods and tornadoes, and better coverage where cell service is thin or easily knocked out. Ossoff and Cornyn introduced the Senate bill in July.
A House companion led by Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX) passed unanimously in April and now sits in the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.