State Certifies Dobbins Mountain Wildlife Refuge

In what Coalition for the Right Road members hope to be another blow to 's proposed Route D-VE of the U.S. 411 Connector, the state of Georgia apparently has certified on Dobbins Mountain "permanently protected."

The Coalition for the Right Road, led by the Rollins family, last week released a letter—attached to this article—from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division and say it's a significant development.

"Now that DNR has certified that one of the major purposes and functions of the conservation easement is for a wildlife refuge, together with the city of Euharlee's designation of the easement as a significant wildlife refuge, federal law requires GDOT to abandon its proposed 411 Connector route (Route D-VE), and to pursue a feasible and prudent alternative," said Cory Stewart of Cookerly Public Relations, who represents CORR. "Once the Federal Highway Administration acknowledges these determinations by DNR and the city of Euharlee, the wildlife refuge at Dobbins Mountain will be permanently preserved."

Lawyer Henry Parkman, who represents Cartersville Ranch LLC, owned by the Rollins family, told Georgia Public Broadcasting there are "feasible and prudent alternatives" that already have been studied.

While Parkman added the FHA would make the final determination, GDOT officials remain quiet on the subject, but said they're reviewing the certification, according to GPB.

Previous developments in the battle over the route include: