(a) There is created the Shore Protection Committee within the department. The committee shall be composed of three members, the commissioner of natural resources and two people selected by the board. A person selected by the board shall be a resident of one of the following counties: Camden, Glynn, McIntosh, Liberty, Bryan, or Chatham. The members of the committee shall be entitled to and shall be reimbursed from moneys appropriated to the department for their expenses, such as mileage and per diem, as set by the board.

(b) The committee, in the absence of an approved local shore protection program as provided by this part, shall act as permit-issuing authority and shall have the authority to issue orders and to grant, suspend, revoke, modify, extend, condition, or deny permits as provided in this part. Permits may, at the committee's discretion, be revoked, suspended, or modified upon a finding that the permittee is not in compliance with permit conditions or that the permittee is in violation of any rule or regulation promulgated pursuant to this part.

(c) The chairman of the committee, upon application by the permittee, may issue renewal of a permit previously granted by the committee. Such action must be based upon recommendations of staff, past committee actions, and the results of public comments. The chairman may refer the request for renewal to the committee to decide on renewals that, in his judgment, should receive broader consideration. A committee member may choose to have the full committee decide on renewals that the member feels should receive broader consideration.