– May 1, 2024 –
Good morning! We have a look forward today at what Coastal Georgia is likely to face when the regulation of “forever chemicals” in drinking water goes into effect. We also have an estimate of what Georgia Power customers can expect to pay monthly for the two nuclear reactors at Vogtle now that they’re both in service. To lighten things up, we also present the story of Captain Hook, a small gator who recovered from big injuries.
Questions, tips or concerns? Send me a note at mary.landers@thecurrentga.org
Forever chemicals
Federal regulators last month issued drinking water regulations for PFAS, the so-called forever chemicals. They got that nickname because the same chemical bonds that make them great for non-stick pans and fire-fighting foam — along with a myriad of other household products — also prevents them from breaking down easily in the environment.
Because long-term exposure to some PFAS chemicals has been linked to cancer and other illnesses getting them out of drinking water is becoming a priority.
All public drinking water systems will have to start testing and treating for PFAS by 2029. It turns out at least one big Coastal Georgia water supplier already has a handle on its PFAS levels and has preliminary plans to address them. Read the full story here.
Vogtle 4 operating
Plant Vogtle’s newest reactor began cranking out electricity for the grid Monday. The long-awaited launch — it’s more than 7 years overdue — allows Georgia Power to increase residential monthly bills by an average of $9. That’s in addition to the $5.42 monthly increase that took effect when Unit 3 began operating in late July, as the Associated Press tallied.
While the $35 billion Vogtle expansion is labeled by some as the most expensive power plant ever built, co-owner Georgia Power touts the entire four-unit nuclear power plant in Waynesboro as “the largest generator of clean energy in the nation.”
Read the full story from Capitol Beat’s Dave Williams here.
Alligator rescued
Last year, officials found an injured alligator near Jekyll Island’s airport. He’d been run over by a car and left with a broken jawbone, broken cheekbone, and several fractured neck vertebrae. An evaluation revealed he had also swallowed a fishhook and been shot.
Naming him Captain Hook, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center stewarded his treatment, which included numerous scans, surgeries and 10 months of rehabilitation. Captain Hook ate small fish, crabs, mice, and insects, bulking him up to a weight of 13.6 pounds. Staffers released him into a pond on Jekyll Island last week.
Also noted
- Florida and South Carolina each reported their first sea turtle nests of the season by Monday . Georgia can’t be far behind. Monitor nesting progress for your favorite beach at Seaturtle.org.
- To help make kayaking safer, The American Canoe Association is offering “Kayaking 101.” The class covers basic paddle strokes and rescue maneuvers for $15 per person, which includes a free kayak rental. On the coast, a class will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 18 at Rodney Hall Boat Ramp, 25 Diamond Causeway in Savannah. Click here to register.
- The horses of Cumberland Island and their supporters filed a lawsuit more than a year ago to compel federal and state agencies to remove the non-natives from the national seashore. As the case proceeds at less than a gallop, The Current’s Mary Landers brings an update.
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Coastal Georgia communities prepare to monitor, treat water for ‘forever chemicals’
Even before EPA issued the first ever drinking water standards for PFAS chemicals last month, state and local water officials in Coastal Georgia were monitoring for and making plans to address these “forever chemicals.”
Georgia Power completes Plant Vogtle nuclear project
The second of two new nuclear reactors at Plant Vogtle entered full commercial operation, years late and billions over budget.
Cumberland Island horse lawsuit continues
The horses’ supporters argue the National Park Service and the state agencies must protect the horses, the native species on Cumberland, or both. Defendants have filed for dismissal.
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