Mining permits issued

Feb. 14, 2024

Good morning and Happy Valentine’s Day! Today we examine a decision to give a tentative go-ahead for a controversial mining project near the Okefenokee. Then we turn to an innovative solar leasing project that’s expanding the reach of renewable energy. We also have a hopeful update on an injured right whale calf. Finally, if you’re looking for a last-minute Valentine’s Day gift for a loved one who loves paddling, we’ve got you covered. See the info below about Georgia River Network’s 2024 Paddle Georgia adventure on the Altamaha.

Questions, tips or concerns? Send me a note at mary.landers@thecurrentga.org

Correction: This newsletter was reposted Feb. 15, 2024 to correct the date of EPD’s virtual public hearing for Twin Pines’ draft mining permits. It will be held at 6 p.m. on March 5.

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Mining near Okefenokee advances

Late Friday afternoon, regulators at the Georgia Environmental Protection Division released the long-awaited draft permits for mining near the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. Alabama-based Twin Pines Minerals LLC is planning a controversial 582-acre demonstration mine about three miles from the refuge, where it plans to strip mine for titanium dioxide, staurolite, and zircon. Opponents warn against the effects of mining so close to the country’s largest blackwater swamp. “EPD has the authority to deny these permits because the company cannot prove the Okefenokee and St. Marys River won’t be harmed in the process,” said Bill Sapp of the Southern Environmental Law Center. The Georgia Recorder’s Jill Nolin has the full story here, including links to the permits, a virtual public hearing on March 5, and instructions for sending in public comments, which are due April 9.

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Program diversifies solar

American homeowners who opt for solar panels on their roofs tend to be white and wealthy. But a Georgia program aimed at leasing panels to low- to middle-income homeowners is helping to diversify that picture. Case in point is Garden City homeowner David Morgan who last week watched as workers installed a 10-kilowatt solar array on his roof. He also opted to lease backup batteries that will act like a generator if the power goes out. Read the full story here, including how interested homeowners can connect with the Georgia Bright program.

Sunny Georgia ranks 10th in the nation for rooftop potential, but only 35th for installed residential rooftop solar, Environment Georgia reports. “Every sunny roof without solar panels is a missed/wasted opportunity,” said Jennette Gayer, State Director with Environment Georgia Research & Policy Center.

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Whale calf

A right whale named Juno gave birth to the first documented calf of the 2023-24 season in November. In early January, Juno’s calf was seen off South Carolina with life-threatening cuts on its head and lip. Researchers figured out it had been hit by the propeller of an approximately 35-foot-long boat. They feared the injuries would kill the highly endangered whale. But the calf appeared off Sapelo Island recently, defying the odds, as Emily Jones of WABE/Grist reports here.

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Also noted:

• Registration opened Monday for Paddle Georgia, a 7-day group kayak and canoe adventure sponsored by the Georgia River Network, this year on the Altamaha River. Two- and three-day portions of the trip are also available.

• NOAA’s Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary on Saturday dedicated a new 52-foot research vessel, the R/V Gannet. The vessel, which can accommodate 15 passengers for scientific research, educator workshops or student day-trips, is designed to deploy ocean monitoring instruments like underwater robots, ocean gliders, and seafloor sensors. The sanctuary will host an open house for the public to view the new research boat later this spring.

• The Drawdown Georgia Greenhouse Gas Emissions Tracker provides greenhouse gas emissions data at the state- and county-level for Georgia. An interactive map developed by Georgia Institute of Technology researchers shows that along the coast McIntosh County emits the fewest atmosphere-warming emissions at 416 pounds per person monthly. Highest along the coast was Chatham County at 2,674 per person monthly. The map is updated monthly. A link allows subscriptions for an emailed quarterly update to keep track your county’s progress.

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