GEORGIA — By the end of September, about 1,100 workers in Savannah and Riceboro will lose their jobs when International Paper closes two historic mills. For nearly a century, the Savannah mill has anchored local families, small businesses, timber growers and loggers, and their closures will send shock waves through every corner of our region. These closures aren’t just corporate cost-cutting. They are an economic crisis. Timber growers will lose contracts. …Truckers and heavy-equipment operators will lose hauling routes. Chatham and Liberty counties stand to lose millions in tax revenue and utility fees. In 2022, Georgia’s forest industry generated roughly $42 billion in total economic activity and supported more than 140,000 jobs statewide, including in the 1st Congressional District, according to a Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation report. These numbers represent the livelihoods of neighbors, friends, and parents who have raised their families and built their lives here. [to access the full story an Atlanta Journal-Constitution subscription is required]