Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025
Good morning! Today we have a look at how the Floridan aquifer is rebounding after a major water user shut down. We also provide a primer about the ongoing statewide elections for utility regulators, and a snapshot of a community meeting that frustrated the neighbors of a Superfund site in Brunswick.
Questions, tips or concerns? Send me a note at mary.landers@thecurrentga.org
EXPLAINER: ELECTIONS
PSC elections
Two seats on the Georgia Public Service Commission are up for grabs in the November election. These regulators affect the pocketbooks of most Georgians by setting rates charged by Georgia Power, as The Current GA‘s Mary Landers reports. But the five-member panel also affects the health of Georgians and the state’s contributions to global warming by deciding how Georgia Power produces electricity, recently opting to add more fossil fuels to the utility’s generating mix.
NEWS: ENVIRONMENT
Aquifer rising
The shutdown of International Paper’s mill in Savannah has caused the level of the Floridan aquifer to rise by approximately two feet, according to data from the United States Geological Survey. The paper giant was permitted to withdraw 12.2 million gallons of water per day from the aquifer, one of the largest groundwater withdrawal permits on the coast. By contrast, the new Hyundai plant in Ellabell, which has drawn sharp criticism for its water needs, is expected to use about 4 million gallons a day when it’s fully operational.
NEWS: ENVIRONMENT
Hercules meeting
Around 60 people gathered Thursday to hear more information about what happens next for the contaminated Hercules-Pinova site and for the people nearby who carry the site’s toxic chemicals in their bodies, as The Current GA‘s Jabari Gibbs reports. Most left unhappy.
The update meeting on Thursday at the Glynn Brunswick Library was presented by Hercules, one of the companies responsible for cleaning up the toxic sites. Participants said they felt that the contractors prioritized redevelopment plans over addressing the human health impacts.
Also noted:
The critically endangered North Atlantic right whale population grew slightly last year, reaching an estimated total of 384, according to the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium. The population had fallen to 358 individuals in 2020. The upward trend is encouraging for scientists, who emphasized the need for continued protections for these rare whales that give birth off the Georgia coast each winter.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources is accepting applications now through Nov. 17, 2025, for its 2026 Career Academy, a weeklong summer camp for current 10th and 11th graders interested in exploring careers in natural resources management. The academy will take place July 19-25, 2026, at the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center in Mansfield and the Jekyll 4-H Center on Jekyll Island.
For its annual contest, Ogeechee Riverkeeper is soliciting photos that highlight what makes the Ogeechee and Canoochee rivers — and the surrounding areas — special. The deadline to enter is Nov. 17, 2025. See the Ogeechee Riverkeeper website for categories and entry rules.
We want to meet your friends! If you like this newsletter be sure to share it. And, if someone shared this with you, click here to sign up for regular delivery!
Floridan aquifer shows recovery after International Paper ceases operations
The Floridan aquifer in Savannah rose approximately 2 feet after International Paper shut down production at its nearby mill, which is permitted to withdraw 12.2 million gallons of water a day from the aquifer.
FAQ: Georgia Public Service Commission election
The Georgia Public Service Commission, which regulates investor-owned utilities and affects nearly every Georgian, is up for election in November, with two Republican incumbents running against two Democrats.
Hercules-Pinova neighbors get update on cleanup effort
Around 60 people gathered Thursday to hear more information about what happens next for the contaminated Hercules-Pinova site and for the people nearby who carry the toxic chemicals from there in their bodies. Most left unhappy. The update meeting on Thursday at the Glynn Brunswick Library was presented by Hercules, one of the […]
The Current GA is part of The Trust Project.
Read our policies.
Support independent, solutions-based investigative journalism without bias, fear or favor on issues affecting Savannah and Coastal Georgia.
WITH GENEROUS SUPPORT FROM
You must be logged in to post a comment.