Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Good morning! We have a look today at an effort to rewrite regulations to protect right whales. We then turn to newly available relief money for farmers affected by Hurricane Helene. Finally, with utility costs rising, there’s a crowded field of candidates vying to be the elected officials who regulate utility rates.
Questions, tips or concerns? Send me a note at mary.landers@thecurrentga.org
NEWS: ENVIRONMENT
Full speed ahead on deregulation
Right whales are having a pretty good calving season here in the Southeast, with 22 baby whales recorded to date. But with fewer than 400 individuals, the species is still highly endangered. Nevertheless, NOAA Fisheries recently announced plans to replace speed limits meant to protect the whales with “technology-based, strike-avoidance measures,” as The Current GA‘s Mary Landers reports. Conservation organizations are alarmed. They argue that while technology may provide a solution some day, it’s not yet a viable alternative to seasonal speed limits, which are proven to reduce deadly vessel strikes. North Atlantic right whales are often found close to shore, putting them at risk from fast-moving ships along the busy East Coast.
THE TIDE: NEWS
Hurricane Helene relief, finally
More than half a billion dollars in federal grant money for Helene losses is set to be made available to Georgia farmers, ranchers and foresters in a state application process that opens this month, as The Current GA‘s Maggie Lee reports.
NEWS: ELECTIONS
PSC candidates
Nine candidates are running for two seats on the Georgia Public Service Commission, as Emily Jones, of WABE/Grist reports. Only incumbent Peter Hubbard faces no opponent in the May 19 primary. The commission oversees utilities in Georgia, including electricity, telecommunications, and natural gas, and has faced criticism in recent years due to rate increases and the approval of a natural gas-fueled expansion. Democrats won two seats in November, including Hubbard’s, and have the opportunity this year to win a third seat, giving them a majority on the five-member board.
Also noted
Chatham County Native Plant Sale & Tree Giveaway will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 21 at the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens, 2 Canebrake Rd, Savannah. Attendees can receive up to two free trees per household, provided by the Savannah Tree Foundation. Species available in 3-gallon pots: sycamore, overcup oak, willow oak, white oak, nuttall oak, Ann magnolia, Jane magnolia, blackgum, swamp chestnut oak, tulip poplar, red maple, Eastern redbud, brown turkey fig, and Drake elm. Native plant vendors at the event will be: Flourabundance, All the Buzz, Victory Gardens, Naturescapes of Beaufort, Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens.
Zooplankton play a pivotal role in shaping marine ecosystems and coastal economies. Adam Greer, an associate professor in UGA’s Department of Marine Sciences and a faculty member at the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography will lecture on how these tiny organisms power our ocean ecosystem. Welcome reception starts at 6:30 p.m. Talk starts at 7 p.m. March 24 at SkIO Library Auditorium, 10 Ocean Science Circle, Savannah, GA 31411 RSVP here.
The Southern Alliance for Clean Energy reports on an effort in Congress to take away programs that reduce home energy bills. Coastal Georgia Congressman Buddy Carter (R-St. Simons) was among those voting to defund the programs, one of which was allocated $109 million to provide rebates in Georgia for high-efficiency electric HVAC, water heaters, appliances, and other energy efficiency options. The measure must be approved by the Senate and president before it becomes law.
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Trump administration’s plan to relax right whale protections raises concerns
The Trump administration is proposing to weaken regulations meant to protect the North Atlantic right whale and instead rely more heavily on technology to reduce vessel strikes, a leading cause of death and injury for the species, despite conservation organizations arguing that these fixes are not yet a proven substitute for established protections.
Federal funds for 2024 Helene farm and timber losses now available
More than half a billion dollars in federal grant money for Helene losses is set to be made available to Georgia farmers, ranchers and foresters in a state application process that opens this month.
Five Republicans, four Democrats qualify for PSC elections
Nine candidates qualified to run in the May primaries for two seats on Georgia Public Service Commission, which regulates utility rates.
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