Section 12-4-41. Legislative findings and declaration of policy

   The General Assembly finds and declares that its duty to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of this state requires that adequate protection of underground fresh water supplies be assured in any drilling operation which may penetrate through any stratum which contains fresh water. This duty further requires that adequate protection be assured in any drilling or the use of such drilled wells in certain other environmentally sensitive areas or in other circumstances where the result of such drilling and use may endanger the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of this state. It is not the policy of the General Assembly to regulate the drilling of shallow exploration or engineering holes except in such environmentally sensitive areas as defined in this part. The General Assembly further finds and declares that, with the current energy shortage which this state and nation face, it must encourage oil and gas exploration to identify new sources of energy, but not at the expense of our important natural resources such as residential, municipal, and industrial supplies of fresh water. The General Assembly further finds and declares that with an increase in oil exploration, it must provide assurances to persons engaging in such exploration that adequate safeguards regarding results of exploration will remain privileged information for a specified time. The General Assembly further finds and declares that it is in the public interest to obtain, protect, and disseminate all possible geologic information associated with drilling operations in order to further the purposes of future energy related research.

Ga. L. 1975, p. 966, § 1.