ATLANTA — Late Wednesday night, the Atlanta City Council approved Ordinance 21-O-0367, the proposal for a new public safety training facility in the South River Forest.
In response, Sierra Club Georgia Chapter Executive Committee Chair Daniel Blackman released the following statement:
“It is a sad day for the city of Atlanta. Our elected leaders chose to ignore the will of the people and approved a proposal that will actively harm the city’s resiliency in the face of the climate crisis and its communities. Two full days of public comment plainly showed that Atlanta residents, especially those who will live near this proposed training facility, want to protect the South River Forest and oppose fragmenting and destroying a portion of this greenspace.
“The forest helps mitigate flooding and stormwater runoff, captures carbon from the air and sequesters it, offers a natural filter for air pollution, keeps the city cool, provides a habitat for native wildlife, and it offers protection against the worst impacts of climate change. Meanwhile, the continued disinvestment of this area from the city of Atlanta has perpetuated environmental harm and degradation for the neighborhoods near the South River Forest, which are primarily Black and Latinx communities.
“Instead of listening to the will of its citizens, the City Council voted under the cover of darkness and after a murky amendment process that left the public confused about the content in the final proposal. The Sierra Club Georgia Chapter will continue to stand up for environmental justice in our city and remains steadfast in our fight against this proposal, which will have an irreparable impact on poor and marginalized communities for generations to come.”
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About the Sierra Club Georgia Chapter
The Sierra Club Georgia Chapter is the largest grassroots environmental organization in the state, with more than 75,000 members and supporters. The Chapter supports a robust outings program and has active committees working on forest and coastal protection, transit expansion, and clean energy. For more information, visit sierraclub.org/georgia.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit sierraclub.org.
**Media Contact**
Ricky Leroux, Communications Coordinator, Sierra Club Georgia Chapter
404-607-1262 ext. 234 | ricky.leroux@sierraclub.org