Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025
Good morning! Today we have Public Service Commission candidate profiles to inform your choice in the Nov. 4 special election. We then turn to Hurricane Melissa and how climate change is fueling that Category 5 storm. Finally, we look at ongoing efforts to keep protection of the Okefenokee on the minds of elected officials.
Questions, tips or concerns? Send me a note at mary.landers@thecurrentga.org
PROFILES: ELECTION
Vote for utility regulators
Most Coastal Georgians have yet to cast their votes for two seats on the state’s five-member board of utility regulators, the Public Service Commission. The races sit atop every ballot in Georgia, but by Tuesday early voting turnout ranged from about 4% to 8% in the six coastal counties, the Georgia Secretary of State reports. If you’re still among those who have not voted, The Current GA‘s Mary Landers has you covered with a backgrounder on the PSC plus profiles of the candidates.
Climate-fueled Hurricane Melissa
Hurricane Melissa hit Jamaica with a devastating fury Tuesday. The Category 5 cyclone strengthened from tropical storm status in less than a week. Climate scientists have linked that kind of rapid intensification to warming ocean temperatures. Also linked to climate change are slower moving hurricanes with higher rainfalls, traits seen in Melissa.
Not linked to climate change is an increase in the number of hurricanes. Coastal Georgia has thankfully seen few threats this hurricane season. But NOAA’s May prediction of 13 to 19 named storms with 6-10 becoming hurricanes is still on track to be accurate with 13 storms and five hurricanes so far and more than a month of hurricane season to go. It may seem like fewer, though, because most have been “fish storms” that never made landfall.
NEWS: ENVIRONMENT
Activists pressure Kemp on Okefenokee
A coalition of environmental groups delivered over 24,000 signatures and nearly 300 pieces of children’s artwork to Gov. Brian Kemp’s office, urging him to support pending legislation to ban future surface mining on the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge’s Trail Ridge, as Alander Rocha of the Georgia Recorder reports. The Okefenokee Protection Act aims to prohibit the state’s Environmental Protection Division from issuing future mining permits in the area. The bill makes the case that the Okefenokee Swamp “is of equal importance to all citizens of the state, is of state-wide concern, and consequently is properly a matter for regulation and protection.”
Also noted:
Whale researchers unveiled a new slate of nicknames for 18 north Atlantic right whales previously known only by number. The names, which often correspond to patterns seen on the critically-endangered whales, help researchers in the field identify them quickly. The new names are: Hedgehog, Cirrus, Pencil, Camel, Lasagna, Bermuda, Scorpion, Taffy, Spectre, Kodama, Dandelion, Piste, Gator, Tenuto, Cavatappi, Mirror, Brussels Sprouts and Athena. Click here for photos and descriptions.
The Trump administration last week announced plans to allow oil and natural gas drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. It’s not a popular idea, even thousands of miles away in Georgia. In the 2024 Yale Climate Opinion survey, only 38% of Georgians “somewhat or strongly support drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.”
The Coastal Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources last week deployed a 130-foot retired barge to Artificial Reef A, located approximately seven nautical miles east of Little Cumberland Island in about 40 feet of water. Artificial reefs are meant to improve fish habitat and create new opportunities for anglers and divers.
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Democrat Peter Hubbard brings energy expertise to Georgia PSC race
Peter Hubbard is running for the PSC to bring his energy expertise to the commission and transition Georgia to cleaner, cheaper energy, while ensuring data centers pay their fair share.
Republican entrepreneur incumbent Fitz Johnson seeks election to Georgia PSC
Fitz Johnson is the Republican incumbent running for election to the Georgia Public Service Commission, having been appointed by Gov. Brian Kemp in July 2021, and is the first Black Republican to serve on the commission.
Alicia Johnson is Coastal Georgia’s homegrown PSC challenger
Alicia Johnson, a Savannah native and Georgia Power customer, is running for Georgia energy regulator to address the six rate hikes in the last two years and to bring a consumer-first view to the Public Service Commission.
Incumbent Republican Tim Echols returns to PSC ballot
Tim Echols, a Republican, has served on the Georgia Public Service Commission for 15 years and is the founder of TeenPact, a Christian leadership training program for conservative high school students.
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.
Okefenokee fans call for permanent protections after mining scare
A coalition of environmental organizations delivered over 24,000 signatures and nearly 300 pieces of artwork from children to Gov. Brian Kemp’s office, urging him to support the Okefenokee Protection Act and protect the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge from future surface mining.
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