Georgia Code Title 12. Conservation and Natural Resources § 12-5-476.1

(a) The division and the department may enter into agreements with local governments, setting fees to be paid to the division or the department for the purpose of enabling the division or the department to expedite or enhance the state regulatory process and to provide services voluntarily requested under the agreement with respect to projects. Pursuant to such an agreement, the division or the department may hire additional temporary staff members, contract for services, or provide additional services that are within the powers of the division and the department to provide. Such service costs shall constitute a cost of project for purposes of this article and Chapter 23 of Title 50. As part of an agreement entered into under this subsection, the division and the department may waive all or part of a fee imposed for a service. The division and the department shall not require that a local government pay more for a service under an agreement entered into under this subsection than the cost to the division or the department in providing such service to such local government.

(b) The division and the department may enter into agreements with agencies or instrumentalities of the federal government, setting fees to be paid by the division or the department for the purpose of enabling the division or the department to expedite or enhance the federal regulatory process and to provide services requested under the agreement with respect to projects. Pursuant to such agreement, the division and the department may fund the cost of hiring additional temporary staff members, contracts for services, or the provision of additional services for the purposes of this article. Such fees shall constitute a cost of project for purposes of this article and Chapter 23 of Title 50.