Greetings, Sierrans!
We hope you've had a great summer! As the calendar turns to fall, we have an update on a topic we've previously discussed in this newsletter: Data Centers.
To recap, data centers are large warehouses packed with computer servers. These facilities are essential for things like cloud storage, online banking, social media, and other aspects of our modern digital life.
However, with the growth of artificial intelligence systems, there has been a huge increase in data centers, both in number and in size.
Georgia has become one of the hottest data center markets in the country, and they are being planned and built all over the state. The problem with this rapid growth is the massive amount of electricity and water these facilities need to operate.
Georgia Power estimates that demand for electricity in our state will TRIPLE over the next ten years, and most of that growth is attributable to data centers. The growth in demand for electricity is leading to a renaissance for fossil fuels: Georgia Power is backing away from planned coal plant retirements and expanding its methane-gas fueled plants.
The Sierra Club Georgia Chapter recognizes that data centers will be one of the most important environmental issues we will work on over the next decade, and to that end, we've created a new Data Center Toolkit!
We designed the toolkit so that local communities can educate themselves about data centers and have the resources to take action.
The toolkit includes:
- Guidance for how to organize your community for a public meeting
- Sample outreach language for reaching out to your neighbors
- Social media resources
- Recent data center news
- Printable resources and more!
We hope you find this toolkit useful as you work to organize to make sure data centers coming to your community are good neighbors!
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 our online calendar at any time to see what's coming up!
Clean Energy
Here’s a rundown of some of these programs and when they are expected to end:
- Tax credits for electric vehicles (EV) will end Sept. 30, 2025.
- Clean energy tax credits for families are largely defunded after Dec. 31, 2025.
- For home energy improvements, like heat pumps or weatherization, tax credits end Dec. 31, 2025.
- Tax credits for rooftop solar and battery projects also end on Dec. 31, 2025.
- For an EV charger, the tax credit ends June 31, 2026.
The Georgia Home Energy Rebates remain available to low and moderate income households with incentives to qualifying households/tenants to make electrification and efficiency improvements to their home. You can check the program information and status at the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) website. 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 the Georgia Home Energy Rebates may help you substantially lower your energy bills.
The Sierra Club Georgia Chapter is part of the Georgians Organizing to Thrive and Survive (GOST) Network, a coalition of environmental and grassroots organizations. The coalition is organizing resilience workshops across Georgia to educate communities about the energy transition and benefits to businesses and families. Workshops have been held in Macon, Brunswick, Valdosta, and Savannah, and upcoming events are scheduled in Forest Park on Oct. 4 and Atlanta on Oct. 11.
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 to volunteer or to learn more about our Group's clean energy work!
Transportation
The Transportation Committee has joined other organizations for clean transportation tabling events at Emory and Georgia Tech. During the events, students discussed local transportation issues important to them, and how the Sierra Club's advocacy could help address and support their visions for a cleaner transportation future.
Lastly, GDOT is currently studying an intercity passenger rail route from Atlanta to Savannah, and is soliciting responses to its public survey. Provide feedback using this link!
- Canary Media has an excellent write-up about the Sierra Club's 2025 "Dirty Truth" report, which reviews electric utilities' plans for fossil fuels and clean energy and compares them to their climate pledges. Spoiler alert: Georgia Power received an F, and most other utilities aren't doing much better.
- U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff says he's "cautiously optimistic that a bill to create Ocmulgee Mounds National Park, which would be Georgia's first National Park, will succeed.
- The city of LaGrange has passed a moratorium on new data centers in the city limits, a wonderful example of how local organizing and activism can get results!
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 September meeting featured guest speaker Patty Durand, founder of the group Georgians For Affordable Energy, who spoke about the upcoming Public Service Commission Elections. Centennial Group also recently participated at the East Cobb Festival and signed up many volunteers to help with their work!
The Centennial Group's next meeting is scheduled for October 9, from 7 to 8:30 PM. The guest speaker will be Dr. Bill Witherspoon, a geologist and teacher, who will be making a presentation entitled "Along the Divide - What Shapes Our Mountains?" A 6 PM outdoor walk will precede the meeting. Click here to learn more and RSVP!
Centennial Group also recently led a "Mountains & Waterfalls" hike near Highlands, North Carolina, and a local hike at Sweetwater Creek Park. The Group has several mountain hikes planned for October. Check our calendar to find new outings as they are posted!
To receive the Centennial Group newsletter, email Lee Graham.
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. Our new meeting location is the Wynne Russell House, located at 4684 Wynne Russell Dr NW, Lilburn. We conduct hybrid meetings with both in-person and virtual attendance options.
For our August meeting our speaker was Ryan Davis from Gwinnett County who gave an update on the County recycling program. Our September Greater Gwinnett Group monthly meeting was postponed.
Gwinnett members continue to attend meetings of environmental interest groups or organizations, such as the Gwinnett County Sustainability Commission. 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).
Metro Atlanta Group
The Metro Atlanta Group's next outing is coming up this Saturday, Sep. 27 ! DeKalb County Recreation, Parks, and Cultural Affairs naturalist Tasha Messer and our very own group outings chair Max Brown will co-host this event, which is planned to be an "all-abilities trek along a truly inspiring stretch of DeKalb County’s Michelle Obama Trail. This fully ADA-accessible multi-use trail offers more than scenic beauty: It carries the legacy of ancient travel routes and a modern movement for health, equity, and access inspired by former First Lady Michelle Obama." Want to take a stroll, learn some history of the land along the trail, and get to know local flora and fauna? Find out more and sign up at this link!
Our group will also be in attendance at an online discussion of the documentary "Firelighters: Fire Is Medicine," which Community Documentary Night will host on Sunday, Oct. 5 . From event description: "For this Special Virtual Documentary Night, in honor of Indigenous Peoples' Day, we are meeting to talk about the documentary, ‘Firelighters: Fire is Medicine.’ Indigenous people have deep knowledge of the art of using fire. Follow the work of women leaders from the Yurok and Karuk Tribes who are building resources to share indigenous practices and create policies to take back indigenous burning rights." To participate, watch the film for free in advance (available at this link), then register and join in the Zoom meeting on Oct. 5. The documentary's director and two leaders of the Cultural Fire Management Council (a focus of the film) will join the event for a special guest Q&A.
Other events and action opportunities that may be of interest:
- Sunday, Sep. 28: 2025 Advocacy Film Series: Return of the River . South River Watershed Alliance will host this film screening at Agnes Scott College. From event description: "The Elwha River in Washington State … tells the story about people and the land they inhabit. The film captures the tenacity of individuals who would not give up on a river, mirroring the tenacity of salmon headed upstream to spawn. It is a narrative with global ramifications, exploring the complex relationship between communities and the environment that sustains them."
- Until Sep. 30: 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.
- Saturday, Oct 11: Georgia Resiliency Tour in Atlanta . This event will be hosted by Georgians Organized to Survive and Thrive (GOST), a network made up of member organizations including Georgia Conservation Voters Education Fund, Mothers & Others For Clean Air, and more. From event description: "This year, GOST is hosting a series of resilience workshops throughout Georgia. Each workshop will provide space for honest conversations about what your community is dealing with, what resources are available to you, and what support is needed moving forward. These events are free and open to all!" Themed resource stations include energy justice, food access, and civic engagement areas.
- 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
After helping to coordinate a local town hall meeting on data centers (see photo above), several members of the Sierra Club and Middle Chattahoochee Group have been actively assisting with the successful adoption of data center moratoriums by the City of LaGrange and Troup County. Chapter Conservation Chair Mark Woodall has been instrumental in supporting our local effort. During the moratoriums, we'll continue pushing for development of updated city and county ordinances to deter introduction of new data centers.
We're also helping coordinate a community wide resistance to unfettered development of an approved data center, seeking stronger “good neighbor" practices in its development.
The Group Leaders, supported by Georgia Chapter staff Adrien Webber and Hannah Baker, made a presentation to 18 Columbus State University education students and faculty related to introductory information about the Sierra Club, our take on sustainability, specifically our rationale for a statewide data center opposition effort, and the sustainability activities of our Local Group supported with membership brochures and tabling materials.
Group Outings Leader Stacy Richardson has planned the September outing, a hike FDR State Park, Georgia's largest state park, for September 28th. A Fall Party is planned for October 6th.
Savannah River Group
The Savannah River Group celebrated the end of its summer hiatus with an ice cream social at its September meeting. Several new members came, and the Group had the chance to discuss various environmental issues with them. Group Outings are back with a kayak paddle down the Augusta Canal earlier this month.
October is filled with a variety of events such as hikes, exploring rare plants at a nature preserve, and our yearly annual picnic. Please join us October 11 at 11 AM at Phinizy Swamp for a potluck luncheon. All are welcome! Don't know anyone? Now's your chance to get to know us. Meet us by the silos for great fellowship, food, fun, and games. We'll also be leading a short hike around the park starting at 9:30 AM. For more information, send us an email!
As you consider your end-of-year financial plans, we hope you will make a gift to help protect Georgia’s environment now and for generations to come! Please visit our Ways to Give page to learn about alternate ways to support the Chapter, such as IRA qualified charitable distributions, gifts from donor advised funds, and gifts of stock or property.