Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025
Good morning! We begin today with an update on the ongoing controversy over lighting near the new Buc-ee’s that’s been deemed unfriendly to baby sea turtles. We then turn to water issues with a report from a meeting of the Coastal Georgia Regional Water Planning Council. And lest we forget it’s hurricane season until December, we round out the newsletter with a look at how Hurricane Helene’s effects are still being felt a year later.
Questions, tips or concerns? Send me a note at mary.landers@thecurrentga.org
NEWS: ENVIRONMENT
Glynn demands more evidence on lighting effects
Glynn County has not yet turned off high-mast lighting at the I-95 exit for Buc-ee’s convenience store, despite receiving permission to do so from the Georgia Department of Transportation, The Current GA’s Mary Landers reports. The lights add to the sky glow on the beach some 12 miles away on Little St. Simons, making it more difficult for hatchling sea turtles to find their way to the ocean, so wildlife officials requested the lights be turned off in hatching season. Now Glynn wants more documentation from the Georgia DNR before it complies, a request that has environmentalists fuming. “Protecting our sea turtles is as simple as flipping a switch, but inexplicably, Glynn County refuses to lift a finger to do so,” said Catherine Ridley, vice president of education and communications at One Hundred Miles.
NEWS: ENVIRONMENT
Water council discusses IP water
International Paper’s closure of its Riceboro and Savannah paper mills in Georgia seemingly frees up tens of millions of gallons of water that was used daily to operate the mills. But at a meeting of the Coastal Georgia Regional Water Planning Council Tuesday it was clear the fate of that water remains unclear, The Current GA‘s Mary Landers reports. Council members also heard an update on the progress of controversial wells being drilled in Bulloch County to provide water for the Hyundai plant in Ellabell. Those four wells may not be as big a threat to existing private wells as was previously feared.
NEWS: ENVIRONMENT
Hurricane outlook and planning
Atlantic hurricane activity has been unusually quiet this month, which historically has seen the peak of tropical weather on Sept. 10. Forecasters warn it’s too early to let your guard down; hurricane season continues through November.
The coast can take a cue from communities across central Georgia that are still recovering from last year’s Hurricane Helene, as Emily Jones of WABE/Grist reports. After experiencing a series of natural disasters, Lowndes County is building up a network of local resources to avoid having to wait on unpredictable federal help. And they’re updating their storm prep advice based on the disasters they’ve experienced.
Also noted
The public is invited to provide input to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission about upcoming potential changes to red drum management in Georgia at a meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the Sapelo Saltwater Fishing Club, 3576 Old Shellman Road, Townsend. A recent assessment states that the southern stock of red drum is overfished, but there has been no solution proposed to fix the problem.
Georgia DNR offers grants of up to $5000 for projects that help people experience the state’s native wildlife and natural habitats. Grant proposals for 2026 are being accepted at https://georgiawildlife.com/WildlifeViewingGrants. The deadline to apply is Feb. 4, 2026. Previous winners, which can be explored via this interactive map, vary from viewing platforms to interpretive signs and outreach programs. All offer more ways to see and learn about wildlife, especially species and habitats listed in Georgia’s 2025 State Wildlife Action Plan.
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Glynn slow to shut off brighter turtle-confusing lights near Buc-ee’s
Glynn County in Georgia has not yet turned off high-mast lighting at the I-95 exit for Buc-ee’s convenience store, despite receiving permission to do so from the Georgia Department of Transportation.
EPD: IP’s water permits remain active for now
International Paper’s closure of its Riceboro and Savannah paper mills will free up 22 million gallons of Floridan aquifer water a day, and local water councils discussed what that means at a recent meeting.
Death toll in ICE detention facilities climb
Thirteen people have died in ICE detention facilities so far this year, prompting concern from Georgia senators who accuse the agency of failing to meet its guidelines for reporting fatalities and of unsafe conditions in the facilities.
One year after Helene, communities change approach to disaster prep
Hurricane Helene caused widespread destruction in Georgia, prompting local officials to prepare for future storms by building up local resources and shifting storm prep advice based on the disasters they’ve experienced.
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