Welcome to the dog days of summer! Georgia, like much of the U.S., is currently experiencing a "heat dome" extreme weather event. Temperatures are expected to be in the 90s through the July 4th holiday and, thanks to the humidity, will feel much hotter.
Whether you are staying inside to beat the heat or planning on getting outdoors this weekend, it's important that you take steps to protect yourself and loved ones. FEMA has a guide for things you should do to prepare for the heat and how to make sure you stay safe, how to recognize heat-related illnesses, and more.
In non-heat related news, we have a fantastic update to share about one of our most treasured wild places in Georgia: the Okefenokee Swamp!
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the official advisory body of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, supports the nomination of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge for a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation! Deliberations take place July 19-29, and IUCN's support will carry a lot of weight in these discussions!
If it receives this designation, the Okefenokee (see photo above!) would join a distinguished list of cultural and natural sites of significant importance, such as the Great Wall of China, Yellowstone National Park, the Galapagos Islands, and the Acropolis in Athens, Greece. It would also become the first UNESCO World Heritage site in Georgia! Stay tuned later this summer for more news on this front.
Clean Energy
The Sierra Club Georgia Chapter continues to advocate at the legislature and the Public Service Commission (PSC) for greatly increasing renewable energy (e.g. solar and storage) and canceling or retiring fossil fuel resources.
Earlier this summer, Sierra Club intervened in the Public Service Commission (PSC) Fuel Docket, which concerned Georgia Power’s fuel costs and how their costs are distributed. The PSC staff and Georgia Power reached an agreement on the fuel costs as well as costs related to storm damage. They did not fully address the issues we proposed. The PSC Commissioners at their May 28 meeting approved the proposed stipulation agreement; amendments proposed by Commissioners Peter Hubbard and Alicia M. Johnson were not approved. Read our press release about the agreement and learn more about where it falls short at this link. Hopefully we begin to see a different path forward on the clean energy transition later this year.
As part of the Fuel Docket settlement, the Commission approved an RTP investigation proceeding. In it, Commission Staff will have to examine the extent to which RTP ("Real‑Time Pricing") — such as data centers — are covering (or failing to cover) fuel costs. During the Fuel Docket, it became evident that RTP customers were not paying for some of the costs that the rest of Georgia Power's customers bear, such as big ticket items like the firm transportation of gas. The Commission will make a decision on this case before the end of 2026.
Want to help make an impact on future PSC decisions like this one? Join our PSC action team at this link!
Thank you to the Sierra Club staff and volunteers for their efforts! We need your voice and your actions to continue to make progress on our clean energy transition! While continuing to seek changes on the federal level, we will work at the state and local levels to advance the energy transition. Time to step up for maintaining the livability of our world. Join us Contact Scott Presson at spress51@gmail.com to volunteer or to learn more about our Chapter’s clean energy work!
Data Centers
📚 Join our Data Center Storytelling Campaign! 📚
We are recruiting community members impacted by the data centers to submit short videos reflecting on their local actions and their communities' thoughts on data centers. Simply review these guidelines, email us your 60-second video, and we will do the rest!
Your videos will be shared on social media platforms and our team will edit submissions together into a longer compilation video that can be shared across social media platforms by your community, our partners, and elected officials.
Our voices are stronger together. Thank you for taking action!
In other news, make sure you check out this op-ed in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution about data centers and their impact on public health. It was authored by Cyndie Roberson, an active member of our Georgia Data Center Community Coalition and a board member of National Coalition Against Cryptomining. It's well worth your time: Cyndie does a fantastic job explaining the size and scope of the data center issue in Georgia and the impact they are already having.
Outings
On June 17, Outing Coordinator Devin Cowens facilitated Sierra Club Georgia Chapter's first-ever Volunteer Outings Leader Training in Atlanta. The 2.5-hour in-person session, held at CreateATL in SW Atlanta, brought together a cohort of five community leaders from the metro Atlanta region to begin the certification process to lead Sierra Club outings. The training is part of a broader certification pathway that includes CPR/First Aid training, an outing shadow, and a provisional outing led by the new leaders. Stay tuned for upcoming outings led by this new cohort — and another training this fall!
Join us for two fun July outings to get outside! You can find all our other outings and events on our online calendar.
Sunday, July 12: Birding 101 with Sierra Club Georgia Chapter and Wilderness Network of Georgia
- Join us from 8 to 10 AM at Cochran Shoals Trail in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation for a beginner-friendly introduction to birding, which is appreciating and observing birds in their natural habitat. See photo above of a recent birding outing.
- Learn more and sign up at this link.
Saturday, July 18: Sierra Club Military Outdoors and Adventure Scientists Field Day
- Join us from 9 AM to 1 PM for an outing in McIntosh Reserve Park to help save American beech trees. On this walk through a forest, volunteers will collect samples from healthy beech trees to help protect them for future generations. Veterans and civilian are welcome at this family-friendly event.
- Learn more and sign up at this link.
Transportation
MARTA is reporting significant ridership around the World Cup games, FIFA Fan Festivals, and other events going on in Atlanta, moving an incredible 1.7 million people moved since events began on June 11.
To keep up with ridership demands, MARTA has been operating trains more frequently and deployed nearly 100 volunteer "ambassadors" to provide assistance and guidance to visitors and first-time riders.
Throughout the World Cup duration, MARTA is showing its ability to provide efficient, effective transportation to millions of people. While surface streets often end up clogged with traffic, MARTA is there to move people swiftly to and from Downtown Atlanta.
Save the date! Join us for Let's Talk Transit on July 23, 6:30 to 8 PM, location TBD. Details will be posted to the Georgia Chapter's events calendar so keep an eye out for that!
Wildlands & Wildlife
Attention Georgia public lands lovers! The Wildlands Committee has two opportunities for you to advocate for islands and forests!
First, take action to help protect Cumberland Island! The National Park Service is considering "land swaps" on Cumberland Island, giving away public land in exchange for other property on the island. However, there is very little transparency about the size of these land swaps, whether they are critical habitats or ecologically fragile.
Let your elected officials know you're concerned about the lack of transparency and the potential private development within the boundary of the National Seashore. Sierra Club is a part of a coalition of conservation organizations working with legislative offices to request a formal oversight review of the land exchange. Take action today to protect Cumberland Island using this link and send a message to your members of Congress!
Second, join us on July 12 from 3 to 4 PM at Sweetwater Brewery for Roadless Rule & Brews, a social event to learn about the importance of the Roadless Rule! This regulation is a critical conservation tool that protects 58.5 million acres of National Forests from road construction and extractive industries, including the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest (see photo above of the forest from Rabun Bald).
At the event, we'll work together to write postcards to the U.S. Forest Service opposing the rescission of the rule. We will have drink tickets, free t-shirts, and postcards for you to fill out with sample language! Register for the event at this link. Hope to see you there!
Act up and stay wild!
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 is on hiatus for the summer and will return with monthly meetings in September.
Centennial Group's April meeting featured Michael Hawthorne with Beyond Coal & Kennesaw State University Sustainability leader DaJawn Williams, and in May, the Group met to discuss data center threats and how to counter them. Patty Durand with Georgians for Affordable Energy and Patrick Thompson from our group presented valuable information on proposed data centers in Georgia, including one set to begin construction in Cobb County.
In June, the Centennial Group's annual picnic at East Cobb Park featured great vegetarian sandwiches provided by Gathering Industries and potluck deserts (see photo above!). Patrick Thompson gave updates on the proposed data center in Cobb and Sierra Club Georgia Chapter Director Adrien Webber put a spotlight on efforts to make Georgians aware of the environmental and health risks of these sites. We also participated in the Juneteenth Celebration in Marietta, in support of Cobb NAACP. A crowd of hundreds enjoyed music, a variety of crafts and foods for sale, and political groups with their focus agendas.
Join us on July 11 for a morning hike on the Gold Branch Trails by the Chattahoochee River. Learn more and sign up at this link.
We are looking for a Treasurer to volunteer to handle our financials. Only a few minutes of time needed per month for the job. Please contact Lynn Walston if you are interested.
Greater Gwinnett Group
The Greater Gwinnett Group meets on the 2nd Thursday of the month at 6:30 for social times and 7:00 for the meeting. The group meets at the Wynne Russell House, located at 4684 Wynne Russell Dr NW, Lilburn. Its meetings have both in-person and virtual attendance options.
The Group's next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, July 9, with the meeting tentatively featuring Georgia PSC Commissioner Peter Hubbard discussing his experience in his first year since taking office. We hope you will be able to join us in person or on Zoom. Register for the meeting at this link.
The Greater Gwinnett Group was proud to join PoderLatinX for their Juneteenth Community Cleanup (see photo above!). Together, we picked up a lot of trash and helped make our community a little cleaner and greener. Thank you to PoderLatinX and everyone who came out to volunteer!
Gwinnett members continue to attend meetings of environmental interest groups or organizations, such as the Gwinnett County Sustainability Commission, and participate in projects. Michael Hallen and others continue to conduct monthly stream monitoring at the Martin’s Farm landing on Martin Farm Road on the Suwanee Greenway (3rd Sunday of every month). We look forward to more progress on clean energy, sustainability, and resilience in 2026!
Metro Atlanta Group
Metro Atlanta Group started off the summer with a lovely picnic on June 13, followed by a hike on the East Palisades trail along the Chattahoochee River on June 26. Thanks to all who took part in both of these events as we discussed issues important to us, caught up with old friends and made new acquaintances, and enjoyed summertime in the shade (see photo above!).
We plan to announce our next meeting soon, likely to be in early August, with a focus on data centers and organizing for environmental justice. Please check back on the Georgia Chapter calendar for this meeting and future outings, or sign up for email updates through the Chapter website with your metro-area zip code and email address.
In the meantime, here are two upcoming action opportunities regarding data centers:
- Thursday, July 9, 6 PM: Atlanta City Council Zoning Review Board Meeting (55 Trinity Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30303)
- Per Southwest Atlanta Residents Mobilize (SWARM): "In 2024, hundreds of Southwest Atlanta residents worked with the Atlanta City Council to ban data centers within a half-mile of major transportation hubs (MARTA stations). Now, a data center developer, Digital Realty, is lobbying for an exception to build a hyperscale data center next to the West End MARTA Station, at 713 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd. The Atlanta Zoning Ordinance already forbids data centers on this land, but Digital Realty is pushing City Council for an exception."
- This date may be pending - we suggest checking SWARM's Instagram page for updates before you go!
- Atlanta City Council's Zoning Review Board (ZRB) is expected to consider the data center's request at its July 9 meeting.
- SWARM is inviting supporters of the anti-data center legislation to show up to the meeting in solidarity, wearing red.
- More info and ways to get involved, plus a petition for Atlanta city residents, are on SWARM's website.
- Tuesday, July 14, 8:30 AM: DeKalb County board of commissioners' meeting (178 Sams St, Decatur GA 30030).
- The DeKalb Citizens' Coalition is a grassroots group that has been organizing to protect residents against the threats of large data centers in the county. This group is inviting DeKalb County residents and allies to call on the county commissioners to fully fund a study of health and environmental effects of data centers on the county, as well as to extend the current moratorium on data center contract applications until the study's completion, pending public input on the study results. Check out this flyer for more info.
- Ready to speak up on this issue? Some ways to do so include:
- Signing up in person to make public comments at the July 14 meeting (arriving by 8:30 AM to sign up is recommended).
- Sending emails or making phone calls to the commissioners with input on whether to approve the permit for a proposed data center in southwest DeKalb, whether to allow large data centers in the county at all, or what kinds of regulations could help reduce data centers' negative effects on our communities.
- Go to DeKalb County's planning office's webpage to read the draft ordinance and send in questions and comments.
Middle Chattahoochee Group
The Middle Chattahoochee Group's meetings are generally held at 7 PM on 3rd Tuesday of each month. The group offers a virtual option for meetings on Zoom, but folks can show up early around 6:30 PM and enjoy a social gathering with refreshments! The Group doesn't generally meet during the summer months or in December.
The Group's May 19th general meeting featured Susan Meyers, Conservation Specialist at Monarch Watch. Ms. Meyers discussed the biology and ecology of monarch butterflies, their migration patterns, and the threats they face. Participants learned how to create habitats that support Monarch recovery efforts.
On June 20, a Group outing featured a tour of several pollinator gardens of various ages (see photo above!), discussed plant propagation, and included a native plant giveaway. Future Summer outings will similarly feature tours of sustainable practices in the area. Stay tuned for more details!
The Group's upcoming September 15th general meeting will feature wetland mitigation is being planned for Oxbow Meadows in Columbus with a watch party in LaGrange. The Group is also planning an outing on the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper’s floating classroom on West Point Lake, the Miss Sally. Stay tuned for more info about their meetings and events!
To get involved with the Middle Chattahoochee Group, contact them at midchattsierraclub@gmail.com.
Savannah River Group
In June, the Savannah River Group learned all about gopher tortoises, a “keystone species," which means it has an outsized impact on its ecosystem. At the meeting, Dr. Donna Wear talked about their importance to the ecosystem and how their habitat is becoming endangered. We then had a follow up outing tracking the elusive gopher at the McDuffie Public Fishing Area (see photo above!). Unfortunately, the gopher tortoise remained elusive, but all enjoyed looking for their burrows and learning more from Dr. Wear.
Also in June, the Group celebrated Pride Month and had a booth at the Pride festival in Augusta. Our group will be on hiatus for the hot months of July and August. We will reconvene our monthly meetings and outings in September with an ice cream social. Until then enjoy the great outdoors!
Your support is needed now more than ever. Please make a donation to the Sierra Club Georgia Chapter today — 100% of your gift stays local and will be applied where it is most urgently needed.