Greetings, Sierrans!
For this issue of our Chapter Newsletter, we want to highlight a recent article in Sierra Magazine by Lornett Vestal, Sierra Club Military Outdoors senior campaign representative.
Titled "The Original Spirit of Memorial Day Is Under Threat," Lornett reflects on the Memorial Day holiday we just enjoyed, ongoing efforts to whitewash our history, and living near the largest Confederate monument at Stone Mountain.
Lornett, who lives in Atlanta and works closely with the Sierra Club Georgia Chapter, writes:
"Like many Black American families, my family's story begins in the South, where a system of racial oppression enslaved Black Americans for generations. However, during the Great Migration, my great-grandparents moved to Chicago. It wasn't until I got stationed in San Diego, California, as a young navy sailor in the early 2000s that I saw my first Confederate flag. It threw me off because California is one of the bluest states. Yet homes and businesses proudly flew the rebel flag in small towns, suburbs, and the backcountry.
What does this have to do with Memorial Day? Like with the Civil War, Confederate sympathizers have tried to erase and rewrite the original spirit of the holiday since its inception. That so many rebel flags fly in a Union state is directly tied to the events that followed the creation of Memorial Day."
Read Lornett's full article at this link.
We'd love to see you at one of our upcoming events. Our 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
The funding situation for federal clean energy, sustainability, and resilience programs is in flux. The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a budget bill that includes cuts to many clean energy programs from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.
Despite the uncertainty in Washington, DC, there are incentive programs still in effect to help households with low and moderate incomes. For example, this program provides incentives for households with low and moderate incomes to make energy efficiency upgrades and electrify appliances.
GEFA continues to train contractors to help families through the process. You must use an approved program contractor to participate in the program. We encourage you to take a look at how programs like this can help you substantially lower your energy bills.
We need your voice and your actions to make progress on our clean energy transition! Time to step up for maintaining the livability of our world. Join us! Contact Clean Energy Committee Chair Scott Presson to volunteer or to learn more about our Chapter's clean energy work!
Energy Burden
Along with community partners, Chapter Organizer Keyanna Jones Moore participated in a press conference outside of the Georgia State Capitol on May 21. The press conference immediately followed Governor Kemp's event trumpeting a settlement proposal between Georgia Power and the Public Service Commission (PSC) to freeze base rates in Georgia for the next three years.
In short, this settlement is not the deal it seems. We don't pay rates, we pay bills. There are many fees and charges on our power bills on top of base electricity usage, including coal ash cleanup costs, fuel costs, and construction costs from Plant Vogtle's expansion. Those extra fees are not covered by this proposed settlement and could go up, particularly when Georgia Power is planning to increase the use of methane gas and backing away from coal plant retirements. Georgia Power also plans to come back to the PSC early next year to seek an additional charge on customers to pay for damage caused by Hurricane Helene in 2024.
Sierra Club Georgia Chapter has been actively educating members of the public about the PSC through a series of energy Burden Presentations, that focus on the impact of Georgia Power's billing practices. In doing so, we have been raising awareness about the PSC's process and helping community members understand how they can influence the ability of Georgia Power to raise rates through the PSC. For more information and to find out how to engage with the Public Service Commission, contact Sierra Club Georgia Chapter Organizer Keyanna Jones Moore.
For more information about how to send a message to the PSC about Georgia Power's energy plan, click this link.
Outings
We’ve had a great spring getting outside across Georgia! Our awesome outings leaders took folks hiking, biking, and paddling all over the state: from riverside trails to mountain loops to quiet woods and beyond.
All told, we led 12 outings in just the last two months, including trips along the Chattahoochee River, to Tallulah Falls, and FDR State Park. Big thanks to everyone who helped make these adventures happen!
🌄 Want to join us next time? Get on the outings email list by reaching out to Georgia Chapter Outings Chair Grant Brown.
📆 And don't forget to check out what's coming up on the Chapter Calendar or in the list of events below. Let's keep exploring together!
Volunteers
We've been working on revamping our volunteer intake and training process. And as a first step in this process, we have written up new Sierra Club Georgia Chapter Volunteer Agreements.
These new agreements will set the stand to help us become a more just, equitable and inclusive organization. It will outline how we interact with other volunteers, leaders, and staff, as well as how we will show up in our communities and partner spaces. All volunteers will be required to fill out the volunteer agreement.
If you're a current volunteer or you're interested in getting involved, we invite you to join Sierra Club Georgia Chapter staff for our Volunteer Agreements Webinar on May 29 from 6 to 7 PM. This will give you and other volunteers a first look at the new agreements, the implementation process, and the opportunity to ask questions. Click here to register for the event.
Water Issues
Chapter Organizer Keyanna Jones Moore joined Dekalb Water Watch at the last meeting of the Dekalb County Board of Commissioners for a press conference related to ongoing water billing issues in Dekalb County. The Coalition amplified the call for Dekalb County CEO, Lorraine Cochran Johnson, to implement the terms of legislation the county passed earlier this year to help folks struggling with high water bills, including establishing a Customer Advocate for residents, some water shut-off protections, and more.
This comes on the heels of Dekalb County residents being hit with water bills as high as $80,000 as Dekalb County seeks to increase water bills by 10% in the upcoming years. Residents and advocates are calling on the Board of Commissioners to look closely at operations within the Dekalb County Department of Watershed Management and ensure proper billing practices. Learn about Dekalb Water Watch and get involved at this link.
Here's a few environmental news stories you may have missed this month:
- WABE has a comprehensive new series about data centers - Server South: What's powering Atlanta's data center growth?
- Associated Press on North Atlantic Right Whales, which use the coast of Georgia as their calving grounds - Endangered whales gave birth to few babies this year as population declines
- AJC on proposed cuts to federal funding - Cuts to EV, clean energy tax credits could cost jobs in Georgia, advocates warn
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.
At the Group's May meeting, Georgia ForestWatch President Bob Kendall explained the history and mission of Georgia ForestWatch and the latest environmental and political developments affecting Georgia forests. The Group also publicized Cobb Commission elections, did tabling events at Kennesaw State University and the Cobb Sustainability Awards, and stream monitoring during Earth Month. The Group also lead hikes in May at Sweetwater Creek Park and on the Appalachian Trail (see photo above!) and plans to hike Joyce Kilmer Forest and the Cherohala Skyway in June.
The Group is changing things up in June! Instead of its regular monthly meeting, the Group is hosting its annual summer picnic at East Cobb Park on Wednesday, June 4, at 6 PM. Learn more and RSVP for the June 4 picnic at this link.
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 next group meeting is scheduled for June 12.
Members continue to attend meetings of environmental interest groups or organizations, such as the Gwinnett County Sustainability Commission. Group Co-Chair Michael Hallen and others continue to conduct monthly stream monitoring at the Martin’s Farm landing on Martin Farm Road on the Suwanee Greenway on the 3rd Sunday of every month.
The Group's May meeting featured Sierra Club Attorney Isabella Ariza as guest speaker. Isabella gave an update on the 2025 GA Power Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) proceedings at the Public Service Commission (PSC). The Sierra Club is once again an intervenor in the proceedings and is lining up technical expert testimony to make recommendations for improvements to the IRP.
Metro Atlanta Group
At our group meeting on Apr. 29, DeKalb County Park naturalist and storyteller Jonah McDonald and environmental educator Zana Pouncey spoke with us about their favorite hikes in metro-area parks. No gate-keeping here: We can learn and connect more with our local ecosystems when we share knowledge, including about the trails we enjoy. To learn more about the co-authors and their new book, Hiking Atlanta's Hidden Forests: Inside and On the Perimeter. And stay tuned for the companion volume, focused on hikes within a one-hour or less drive from downtown, coming out this June!
Action opportunities that may be of interest:
- May through August: City of Atlanta gathering input into city climate resilience plan. People who reside, work, or spend time in the City of Atlanta can sign up for the public input events and express priorities at this link.
- Ongoing: Save U.S. Geological Service's Water Monitoring program. The Chattahoochee Riverkeeper has provided a form for contacting members of Congress on this issue at this link.
- Ongoing: Metro Atlanta Climate Action Plan surveys open for comments. From Atlanta Regional Commission's MACAP website: "The Atlanta Regional Commission is developing the Metro Atlanta Climate Action Plan (MACAP) for the 29-county Atlanta Metropolitan Statistical Area. The plan will serve as a roadmap to create a sustainable and resilient future for all, while also highlighting strategic initiatives to transition to near net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. You may provide input on the plan through two surveys available now on the MACAP at this link.
Middle Chattahoochee Group
The Middle Chattahoochee Group May meeting was well attended with 28 attendees in person and 8 more joining via Zoom. Attendees enjoyed a pre-meeting social event where we displayed our dusted-off protest signs, swapped native plants, and enjoyed refreshments. The meeting's presentation was titled "The Endangered Shoal Lily" from Sarah K. Tash, who has been studying shoal lilies for more than 3 years with a master's degree in Natural Resources from Columbus State University, where her research focused on shoal lily populations on the Flint River in Georgia.
An ongoing project for the Middle Chattahoochee Group is building, installing, and monitoring bluebird boxes (see photo above!). All volunteer monitors are trained and submit data to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. We currently have 17 monitors and 62 boxes in Troup, Harris and Muscogee counties.
Thank you to Stacy Richardson, Joanna Baxter, Laura Mirarchi, Mardi Schaufler, Ann and David Sellman, Travis Towns, Joanne Vandewater, Ginger Zachry, Susan Bowie, Diana Myers, Ashley Desensi, Tabby Robinson, Shane Hightower, Red McIntosh, Charlene Baxter and Laura Breyfogle for monitoring boxes during the nesting season (May-August). And special thanks to Sam Breyfogle and Larry Knight for building and installing our boxes and baffles.
In other news, Stacy Richardson is a new Outings Leader from Pine Mountain who will lead hikes in West Georgia. She currently serves on the Middle Chattahoochee Sierra Club Group Executive Committee and enjoys hiking, native plant gardening, backpacking, running, reading, and photography. She led her first Sierra Club outing on the Pine Mountain Trail in FDR State Park on May 24.
Savannah River Group
The Savannah River Group had a busy month with outings and our monthly meeting. On May 10th, 10 brave souls hiked 3 miles in a steady rain at Redcliffe Plantation Agri-Art festival (see photo above!). Afterwards we toured the garden, which provided historical insight into the medicinal herbs, flowers, and vegetables used by the slaves who called the Plantation home. There was also a plot dedicated to Harriet Tubman and the pharmacy herbs she utilized in the Underground Railroad.
Congaree National Forest is on our outings circuit every year lead by Richard Dillenbeck. Unfortunately this year, we couldn’t hike too far since the swamp and boardwalk were partially flooded. Richard celebrated his 90th birthday the end of May, making him the oldest active outings leader in the country. Happy Birthday Richard!
Cheryl Murga discussed Agriculture and climate change at our monthly meeting. She focused on the changes in agriculture in Georgia and South Carolina as well as possible techniques to offset the increase in temperature and drought. Our June meeting is scheduled for June 17, and the Savannah River Ecology Lab will speak about the research they do at the Savannah River Site. 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.
- May 31, 8:30 AM: Hike Gold Branch Trails Along Chattahoochee
- What: Hike about 4 miles along the Gold Branch Trails along the Chattahoochee River.
- Where: Gold Branch Trail (6156 Lower Roswell Rd, Marietta, GA)
- May 31, 10 AM: Audubon's Silver Bluff Sanctuary
- What: Join the Savannah River Group for an easy 3-mile hike through pine and hardwood forests in Audubon's Silver Bluff Sanctuary.
- Where: Audubon's Silver Bluff Sanctuary (4542 Silver Bluff Rd, Jackson, SC).
- June 4, 6 PM: Centennial Group's Annual Picnic
- What: At the Centennial Group's annual picnic, join in fellowship with your fellow Sierrans, get an update on some of our work, and take a short walk around the after dinner.
- Where: East Cobb Park (3322 Roswell Rd, Marietta, GA).
- June 6, 9 AM: North Augusta Greenway Bike Ride
- What: Explore the Greenway by bike! Join the Savannah River Group for a moderate 12-mile out-and-back bike ride in North Augusta.
- Where: Meet at Hammonds Ferry Soccer Complex (Hammonds Ferry Rd, North Augusta, SC 29841)
- June 14, 10 AM: Hike Rae's Creek Aqueduct & Tow Path Along the Savannah River
- What: Join the Savannah River Group for a 3.5-mile out-and-back hike through the Augusta Canal National Heritage Area, featuring aged stone arches, rocky outcrops, and great views.
- Where: Lake Olmstead Trailhead, Augusta Canal Historic Trail, Augusta, GA 30904
- June 17, 6:30 PM: Savannah River Group Monthly Meeting
- What: At the Savannah River Group's monthly meeting, we'll hear an eco-talk from Sean Poppy from the Savannah River Ecology Lab featuring live animals such as amphibians, reptiles, and birds!
- Where: Unitarian Universalist Church of Augusta (3501 Walton Way Ext, Augusta, GA 30909)
Did you know that there's an exciting new tool available for supporters of the Sierra Club Georgia Chapter? Giving Docs is an online platform that makes it possible to make a will online, and it’s free for Sierra Club supporters.
Giving Docs walks you through all the steps of creating a will (or other estate plan document), including steps to take to make it legally valid in Georgia. Planned gifts are a great way to support the Georgia Chapter's critical work long term.
If you have any questions about gift planning or this tool, please don't hesitate to reach out to Julia Curtis.