The General Assembly finds that:

(1) The protection and preservation of Georgia's diverse environment is necessary for the maintenance of the public health and welfare and the continued viability of the economy of the state and is a matter of the highest public priority;

(2) State agencies should conduct their affairs with an awareness that they are stewards of the air, land, water, plants, animals, and environmental, historical, and cultural resources;

(3) Environmental evaluations should be a part of the decision-making processes of the state; and

(4) Environmental effects reports can facilitate the fullest practicable provision of timely public information, understanding, and participation in the decision-making processes of the state.