– July 26, 2023 –
Right whale fact check
North Atlantic right whales are so critically endangered that they are outnumbered by members of the U.S. House of Representatives by 435 to less than 350. Despite their precarious situation, Coastal Georgia Congressman Buddy Carter has been vocal lately in criticizing the expansion of a federal regulation meant to protect these whales, which give birth in the waters off Georgia. Last month Carter introduced a bill to delay funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to implement proposed speed restrictions.
The proposed rule would apply seasonal speed limits of 11.5 mph off the Georgia coast from about November to April for vessels 35 feet or more long. The exisitng rule applies to vessels 65 feet or longer.
Carter’s outspokeness on the issue isn’t always matched by his accuracy on it, as The Current’s fact check reveals. For example, Carter has emphasized the rule threatens the estimated 27,000 jobs related to recreational boating in Georgia. But he fails to note that only a small percentage of recreational boats registered in Georgia are 35 feet or longer, and plenty of boating takes place away from the coast.
EV drivers wanted
The Georgia Department of Transportation is looking for 150 electric vehicle drivers to take part in a federally funded pilot project that will replace gasoline and other motor fuels taxes with a tax based on the number of miles driven, Capitol Beat’s Dave Williams reports.
The four-month pilot will begin late this year and the pilot project will include both GPS and non-GPS options to keep track of the miles the volunteers drive both inside and outside of the state. The state has not yet launched a website to recruit volunteers, GDOT spokeswoman Jill Nagel said Tuesday.
Georgia currently charges EV drivers one of the highest annual registration fees in the nation — $216 — which EV drivers argue more than makes up for the gas tax they’re not paying.
EVs are a small but rapidly growing portion of vehicles in Georgia, which also has an expanding EV manufacturing base. As of Monday there were 65,701 electric vehicles registered in Georgia, according to the state Department of Revenue. That’s less than 1% of the 10.6 million vehicles registered statewide. But it’s nearly double the 34,020 registered at thhe beginning of 2022.
Vogtle delayed again as costs debated
On Thursday, Georgia’s Public Service Commission will hold another hearing to review the progress of the construction of two new nuclear reactors at Plant Vogtle, where costs have more than doubled to north of $31 billion after taking more than seven years longer to complete than projected, Stanley Dunlap of the Georgia Recorder reports.
The state regulatory agency’s Director of Utility Finance Tom Newsome and utility analysts predict that the power plant’s skyrocketing expenses will cancel out the cost savings of the nuclear expansion over its expected life cycle, Dunlap reports.
The PSC will hold hearings this fall to determine how Vogtle’s cost overruns will be split between ratepayers and shareholders.
Meanwhile, Vogtle’s new Unit 3 is still struggling to pass its startup testing. On Friday operators again tried to raise the power but again had to abandon the process because of an issue with the coolant pumps, as Edwin Lyman of the Union of Concerned Scientists reported on social media. Unit 3 remained at zero power Tuesday, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission reported. The reactor was initially scheduled to be completed April 1, 2016. Earlier this year, Georgia Power announced the reactor would be up and running by June. That was later pushed back to July.
Also noted:
• The marine heat wave continues with temperatures in South Florida’s waters topping 100 degrees Monday, the Washington Post reports. Monitor ocean temperatures around the world at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Coral Reef Watch.
• Citizens in six states including Georgia are being asked to mail dead butterflies, moths, and skippers to the U.S. Geological Survey scientists by Nov. 1, 2023 to establish a Lepidoptera research collection. No live collections allowed! Find details of how to participate on the USGS website.
• The town of Thunderbolt is holding a “Sustainability Friday” with glass recycling and composting from 10 a.m -noon Aug. 4 in the lot across from the Thunderbolt Senior Center off Russell Street.
• The National Wildlife Federation highlights the Gullah-Geechee people’s fights against climate change and real estate development on Sapelo Island in the Summer 2023 issue of its magazine.
If you have feedback, questions, concerns, or just like what you see, let us know at thecurrentga@gmail.com.
Fact check: Expanded right whale speed rules
U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter makes exaggerated claims about the effects of a proposed speed rule on Georgia’s recreational boaters.
Georgia DOT to test mileage-based user fee
A legislative study committee formed last year to look for ways to accommodate an expected increase in electric vehicles plying Georgia highways recommended making any future mileage-based tax the state adopts comparable to what drivers of gasoline-powered vehicles pay in fuel taxes.
State regulators to hear Plant Vogtle progress report after nuclear expansion stalls again
On Thursday, Georgia’s Public Service Commission is scheduled to hold another hearing to review the progress of a project with costs that have more than doubled to north of $31 billion after taking seven years longer to complete than projected.
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