Greetings, Sierrans!
We hope you all had a fantastic Earth Month! Thanks to everyone who joined us for Earth Jam last week! We had a fantastic time being in community together, enjoying the beautiful spring weather, and celebrating our work to protect each other and the planet. Shout out to Poder Latinx and Black Voters Matter Fund for partnering with us and to Waller's Coffee Shop for hosting us!
We'd love to see you at one of our upcoming events. Our May calendar is full of educational meetings, outings and hikes, and opportunities for fellowship. Check out the full list of events later in this email or check our online calendar at any time to see what's coming up!
Clean Energy
Every three years, Georgia Power has to prepare an Integrated Resource Plan, also known as an IRP. The IRP outlines how Georgia Power will generate the electricity it will sell to its customers for the next 20 years, including whether that electricity comes from clean, renewable sources or from dirty fossil fuels like coal and fracked gas.
The first round of hearings on the IRP took place last month, and Sierra Club's experts had three key takeaways from the proceedings. First, Georgia Power’s own analysts confirm most of the electricity demand is still being driven by data centers. Second, Georgia Power doesn’t care that they are killing the climate goals of its large load customers (or their own). And finally, Georgia Power has a massive expansion of methane gas planned, but doesn’t want to talk about it.
Meanwhile, the funding situation at this time for federal clean energy, sustainability, and resilience programs remains fluid and uncertain, Many of the current Federal administration’s proposed actions are now being considered by the courts. he Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) rebates for low and moderate income families in Georgia, however, are now in effect! The Georgia Home Energy Rebates will provide incentives to qualifying households/tenants to make electrification and efficiency improvements to their home. Learn more about these programs at this link.
Legislative
The Georgia Legislature wrapped up its 2025 session this month, ending a very unproductive year at the Capitol for environmental advocates. We saw no legislation dealing with electricity rate increases, clean energy, protection for the Okefenokee Swamp, or promoting electric vehicles this year.
Check out Sierra Club Georgia Chapter Legislative Chair Mark Woodall's full recap of the 2025 session. One important note: Georgia's Legislature operates in two-year cycles, so any bill filed this year is still on the table and can pass in the 2026 session.
Outings
Spring is here, and we’ve got a fantastic lineup of outings and events across Georgia! From hiking excursions to ecological discussions, there’s something for everyone. Check out the full list of events and outings at the end of this email!
Want to become an outings leader and lead hikes, paddle trips, and cycling treks? Join Sierra Club Georgia Chapter Outings Chair Grant Brown for a training class and a free lunch! The training is scheduled for Saturday, May 17, at Switzer Library Community Room (266 Roswell St NE, Marietta, GA).
Whether you're interested in hiking, discussing environmental issues, or simply enjoying nature, we invite you to participate. Let’s connect with the beauty of Georgia while making a positive impact on our environment.
Interested in becoming an outings leader? Learn more and get trained by contacting Chapter Outings Chair Grant Brown.
Here's a few environmental news stories you may have missed this month:
- Canary Media - Is Georgia Power quietly planning a massive buildout of fossil gas?
- AJC - Georgia among most generous states for data center incentives, reports show
- Georgia Recorder - Atlanta air quality gets failing grade in new American Lung Association national ranking
Centennial Group
The Centennial Group, representing the Northwest Atlanta suburbs, meets the first Thursday of each month. Meetings can be attended in person at Life University in Marietta or virtually via Zoom.
The Group's April meeting featured special guest Mickey Cummings of the Blairsville Historical Society discussing Appalachian History. The Group also recently participated in Earth Day fairs at Kennesaw State University's Kennesaw and Marietta campuses and led outings in Sweetwater Creek Park (see photo above!) and the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area.
The Group's next meeting will be held on May 1 and will feature a presentation from Georgia ForestWatch President Bob Kendall, who will discuss the latest issues affecting Georgia forests. Click here to RSVP for the May 1 meeting.
Greater Gwinnett Group
The Greater Gwinnett Group meets on the second Thursday of the month at the historic Wynne-Russell House located at 4684 Wynne Russell Dr., NW, in Lilburn. Meetings have both in-person and virtual options.
The Group's next meeting will be held on Thursday, May 8. Sierra Club Staff Attorney, Isabella Ariza, will be our guest speaker speaking on the Georgia Power “Integrated Resource Plan” and hearing before the Georgia Public Service Commission, what it means to Georgians, why the Sierra Club is involved, and what you can do if you want to participate in the process. Fellowship begins at 6:30 in person. The meeting itself starts at 7:00 pm and is a hybrid in person/zoom format meeting. Click here to RSVP for the May 8 meeting.
Members continue to attend meetings of environmental interest groups or organizations, such as the Gwinnett County Sustainability Commission.
On April 9, we tabled at the University of North Georgia, Gainesville campus as part of Earth Month. There was good attendance and we were among approximately 70 organization participating. On April 19, Group Co-Chair Michael Hallen and others conducted stream monitoring at the Martin’s Farm landing on Martin Farm Road on the Suwanee Greenway. Several members attended the Georgia Chapter’s Earth Jam for the Planet event on April 19.
Metro Atlanta Group
Think you've hiked everywhere there is to hike in Atlanta? Think again! At the Metro Atlanta Group's next meeting on April 29, gather with your fellow Sierrans for a conversation with park ranger and storyteller Jonah McDonald, along with environmental educator Zana Pouncey, about their new book: "Hiking Atlanta's Hidden Forests: Inside and On the Perimeter." Bring these co-authors your questions about local ecosystems and metro-area hiking!
Tomorrow at 6 PM, join the Shutdown BioLab Coalition for a training about how to use Georgia's Open Records Act to access information about the Bio-Lab fire. The Coalition is partnering with the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) and Georgia Sierra Club chapter organizer Keyanna Jones Moore to provide the training. Sign up at this link.
Middle Chattahoochee Group
The Middle Chattahoochee Group had a busy April! The Group's monthly meeting took place at the Oxbow Meadows Environmental Learning Center at Columbus State University where the group learned more about the health of the Chattahoochee River. They also hiked through FDR State Park (see above!).
Savannah River Group
During a recent outing, Martin Marietta gave the Savannah River Group a tour of their rock quarry in Augusta. Not only did they explain about how the rock was processed, but they also provided a geologist to talk to us about the different rocks we found on site. The group's monthly meeting in April featured a discussion of the status of the Hurricane Helene clean up and the future of the urban forest. Lots of interesting events going on. Come join us!
You can find all of our upcoming events on the Sierra Club Georgia Chapter's online calendar. Click the links for each event to RSVP and learn more.
- April 29, 7-9 PM: Hiking Intown Atlanta's Hidden Forests
- What: Join the Metro Atlanta Group for it's April meeting featuring a conversation with co-authors Jonah McDonald and Zana Pouncey about their new book, "Hiking Atlanta's Hidden Forests: Inside and On the Perimeter."
- Where: Manuel's Tavern (602 North Highland Avenue Northeast, Atlanta, GA).
- May 1, 7 PM: Centennial Group meeting featuring Georgia ForestWatch
- What: The Centennial Group will hear from Georgia ForestWatch President Bob Kendall, who will discuss the latest issues affecting Georgia forests at the Group's monthly meeting. This event has in-person and Zoom options.
- Where: Life University Graduate Studies Building, Room 119 (1250 Life's Way, Marietta, GA)
- May 3, 8 AM - May 4, 2 PM: Cloudland Canyon - In, Out, And Around!
- What: Come along for a trip to one of Georgia's crown jewels! This outing includes carpooling to Cloudland Canyon State Park, a quick day hike around the rim then a hike into the canyon. We'll set up camp and hike to the eastern rim for sunset. The next morning we will have breakfast, hike out, and get back to Atlanta around 2 PM.
- Where: Carpool meetup at Busbee/Town Center Park & Ride Lot (3321 Busbee Dr. NW, Kennesaw, GA).
- May 8, 6:30 PM: An IRP update from Sierra Club's attorney
- What: The Greater Gwinnett Group's monthly meeting will feature guest speaker Isabella Ariza, who will give us an update on the IRP process and the hearings where she represented the Sierra Club. This event has in-person and Zoom options.
- Where: The Historic Wynne-Russell House (4684 Wynne Russell Dr., NW, Lilburn).
- May 10, 9 AM: Redcliffe Plantation Hike and Ag-Art Tour
- What: Hike a comfortable 2.5-mile forested trail with pond views around Redcliffe Plantation with the Savannah River Group. After the hike stay to enjoy the Ag-Art tour, a free self-guided tour of local farms and markets.
- Where: 181 Redcliffe Road, Beech Island, SC 29842
- May 17, 8:45 AM - 5:30 PM: Congaree National Park Hike
- What: Join the Savannah River Group for a hike on the Weston Loop Trail in Congaree National Park. A carpool will leave from the Unitarian Universalist Church of Augusta at 8:45 AM or meet at the trailhead for the start of the hike at 11 AM. Plan to spend the day.
- Where: Carpool leaves from Unitarian Universalist Church of Augusta (3501 Walton Way Ext. Augusta GA).
- May 17, 10:30 AM - 1:30 PM: Become an Outings Leader! Training Session in Marietta & Free Lunch
- What: Want to become an outings leader and lead hikes, paddle trips, and cycling treks? Join Sierra Club Georgia Chapter Outings Chair Grant Brown for a training class and a free lunch!
- Where: Switzer Library Community Room (266 Roswell St NE, Marietta, GA)
- May 20, 6:30-8 PM: The Endangered Shoal Lily with Sarah Tash
- What: Auburn University shoal lily researcher Sarah Tash is the guest speaker at the Middle Chattahoochee Group's monthly meeting. This event has in-person and Zoom options.
- Where: St. Mark's Episcopal Church (207 North Greenwood, LaGrange, GA).
- May 31, 10 AM - 12:30 PM: Audubon's Silver Bluff Sanctuary Hike
- What: Join the Savannah River Group for an easy, 3-mile hike in Audubon's Silver Bluff Sanctuary through pine and hardwood forests onto high bluffs overlooking the Savannah River.
- Where: Audubon's Silver Bluff Sanctuary (4542 Silver Bluff Rd, Jackson, SC).
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