– June 5, 2024 –
Good morning! A water theme flows through today’s newsletter, a coincidence after our Atlanta compatriots suffered a weekend of water main breaks and boil water notices. On the coast, the Ogeechee Riverkeeper is scrutinizing how federal regulators greenlit the Hyundai Metaplant with limited documentation of the factory’s water needs. And the Savannah City Council took steps to get ahead of forever chemicals in its water supply. In Glynn, continued pollution of a creek resulted in a fine for the water and sewer commission.
Questions, tips or concerns? Send me a note at mary.landers@thecurrentga.org
Metaplant permitting questioned
Earlier this week the Ogeechee Riverkeeper filed notice of intent to sue the US Army Corps of Engineers over permits issued for the Hyundai Metaplant. One of the arguments echoes the worries of some area residents: Water supply wasn’t sufficiently considered. The Current’s Mary Landers outlines the riverkeeper’s case here, in an article that includes reaction from a “disappointed” Trip Tollison, who helped put the Hyundai Metaplant on the Bryan County map.
Savannah passes PFAS resolution
Savannah City Council on May 23 unanimously passed a resolution declaring perfluorinated chemicals, or PFAS, as a nuisance. The resolution sets up the city to enter litigation against manufacturers of these so-called forever chemicals. It concludes: “The City of Savannah shall pursue such legal action as is available against such manufacturers, distributors, and others as necessary, either by itself or in concert with others, and to the full extent available under the law.”
Savannah’s drinking water supply from the Savannah River has tested near the EPA’s proposed Maximum Contaminant Level of 4.0 parts per trillion (ppt). The city plans to include PFAS filtering in an expansion of its surface water treatment plant.
Vogtle celebrated and censured
State and federal officials experienced a “let them eat cake” moment as they cheered on the completion of the Vogtle nuclear expansion with a fondant-wrapped replica of the project. Vogtle 3 and 4 arrived more than 7 years late at more than double the original budget, with Georgia Power residential ratepayers eating much of the overage. Nevertheless, Gov. Brian Kemp called for another round of new nuclear, as Emily Jones of WABE/Grist reports.
Meanwhile, a group of six organizations critical of Vogtle published a report detailing the history of the project, how the costs mounted while regulators ignored their staff’s advice and how ratepayers are paying the price. Read the report here.
The report indicates Georgia Power’s residential rates have increased a total of 23.7% for the two reactors. That’s in addition to the approximately $1,000 each Georgia Power household has paid since 2009 from monthly payments called a Nuclear Construction Cost Recovery tariff approved by state lawmakers. Industrial users paid only 11% of these NCCR collections, despite using about 26% of the electricity in Georgia.
Also noted
- Georgia regulators fined the Brunswick-Glynn Joint Water Sewer Commission $19,500 last month for violations of its National Pollution Discharge Elimination permit. The facility exceeded its limit for ammonia into Academy Creek every month from September 2023 to March 2024. Along with the fine, the commission must submit to EPD for review and approval a plan to prevent future violations. Read the consent order here.
- We’re five days into hurricane season. Air and water temperatures are high and the forecast is for up to 25 named storms in the Atlantic and Gulf. This year’s list starts with Alberto and runs to William. If needed, and we likely will, there’s a supplemental list that begins with Adria. Read more about what’s making this a humdinger of a hurricane season here.
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Ogeechee Riverkeeper to sue over Hyundai site permits
The Ogeechee Riverkeeper on Monday filed a letter of intent to sue the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for what it sees as deficiencies in permits for the Hyundai site.
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.”
FAQ: How much do you know about your water?
As Hyundai increases demands on water supplies, learn about where the Savannah area gets its water and how the supply is regulated and protected.
Hurricane forecast points to a dangerous 2024 Atlantic season: La Niña pairs with persistently warm ocean to power fierce storms
Warm ocean surface water – about 79 degrees and above – provides increasing heat energy that is released through evaporation. That heat triggers an upward motion, helping form clusters of storm clouds and the rotating circulation that can form rain bands around a vortex.
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