Georgia Citizens Voice Opposition to New Coal Plant
Georgia Citizens attended statewide public hearings on Tuesday to voice their opposition to Plant Washington and their 
frustration with the lack of public opportunity for comment.
On Tuesday, Oct. 6th, Georgia citizens gathered together at statewide public hearings sponsored by a coalition of organizations called Georgians for Smart Energy. Residents were there to voice opposition to the proposed coal plant – Plant Washington – in hopes of getting their message across to the GA Environmental Protection Division (EPD).
In September, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division denied over 1,000 letters requesting statewide public hearings on Plant Washington’s draft environmental permits and announced that they would host only two meetings on this topic, October 6th and October 20th, in Sandersville, GA. The purpose of the October 6th hearing was to present information and answers to any questions on the draft permits. Public comment on the draft permits will then be taken at the October 20th hearing. Written comment can be submitted until October 27th. The draft permits are for air pollutants, surface water withdrawal, groundwater withdrawal, and water discharge.
No other hearings will be held by EPD on any of the permits. Unlike many other state environmental agencies, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division is limiting the opportunity for public input by holding only one hearing on all four of these critical coal plant permits. They have also chosen to only provide a copy of the draft air permit for public viewing on their website. Given the lack of public access Southern Alliance for Clean Energy has obtained a copy of all draft permits and posted them to the take action page of our website for public viewing. We consider this lack of public accessibility a severe disservice to the citizens of Georgia and hope you do too – please make sure you join us in submitting comments. The public deserves a right to engage on this critical issue.
The permits cover a range of environmental issues including, but not limited to, toxic air pollutants that exacerbate asthma levels in Georgia, depletion of the Cretaceous Aquifer – a finite water resource, and mercury pollution in Georgia’s waterways – that can harm brain and nervous system function. If these draft permits are approved it will effect air and water quality for all Georgians for the next 50 years.
The image to the left depicts the already impaired Georgia waterways from mercury pollution and overlays the location of proposed Plant Washington, which would emit an additional 106 pounds of the potent neurotoxin every year.
Frustrated with the lack of public engagement offered by GA EPD, Georgia citizens and Georgians for Smart Energy took matters into their own hands. Court reporters were present at hearings Tuesday evening in Augusta (watch the Channel 6 WJBF News Show), Macon, and Kennesaw to capture citizens comments and submit them to EPD for the public record. In these statewide hearings, over 50 individuals chose to stand up and give oral comment on their concerns regarding the environmental impacts of Plant Washington. In addition, over 200 individuals in downtown Atlanta made comments to EPD in the form of written petitions against the coal plant.
Join us on October 13th in Savannah or October 20th in Sandersville and join the hundreds of other voices in Georgia saying no to new coal in Georgia.
Blog Post written by Mary Carr, edited by Ulla Reeves. For more information and sample comments to submit to EPD, please email mcarr[at]cleanenergy.org.
Tags: Coal, Georgia, GSE, Plant Washington, Power4Georgians
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I understand there were also supporters of the project who voiced thier support at the meetings. If this is the case, why don’t you report that too?
Comment by Frank Talk on October 9, 2009 9:11 am
[...] Cross Posted from Cleanenergy.org [...]
Pingback by Georgia Citizens Voice Opposition to New Coal Plant « Georgians for Smart Energy on October 9, 2009 11:11 am
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Pingback by CleanEnergy Footprints » Archive » Georgia Citizens Voice … | Georgia realestate live today on October 10, 2009 3:32 am
The Georgia EPD is acting like a political organization. They are ignoring their job and the science.
We have to apply pressure on the EPD. Here’s their contact information. 1-888-373-5947 (toll-free in Georgia) or 404-657-5947 (in the Atlanta area).
On the first page of this .pdf form are phone numbers for all the EPD heads.
http://www.gaepd.org/Files_PDF/epd_directory.pdf
Comment by dmac on October 11, 2009 5:26 am
EPD DIRECTOR: Carol A. Couch, Ph.D.
Executive Assistant: Yolanda P. Fanning – 404-657-2086
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: Programs: Jim Ussery – 404-656-4713
Communications Director: Kevin Chambers – 404 651-7970
Assistant Branch Chief: Jeff Carter – 404-592-7646
Senior Policy Advisory for Water: Napoleon Caldwell – 404-463-4348
Senior Planning and Policy Advisor: Gail Cowie – 404-657-5739
Planning and Policy Advisor: Alice Miller Keyes – 404-463-1678
Supervision Director: Connie Buck – 404-651-7966
Administrative Management: Aubrey Hendrix – 404-651-7970
Personnel and Recruitment: Rosalind Cade – 404-651-7981
Satellite Personnel Office Manager: Randy Harris – 404-657-6251
State Geologist: Jim Kennedy – 404-463-0679
2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, SE Suite 1152 East Floyd Tower
Atlanta, GA 30334-9000
Phone: (404) 656-4713 Fax: (404) 651-5778
Contacting EPD
General Information
(404) 657-5947
(888) 373-5947 -toll free
Media Relations
(404) 651-7970
Comment by dmac on October 11, 2009 5:44 am
These are the members of The Environmental Advisory Council. This group is responsible for making recommendations for legislation.
Zack Aultman
Vice President
Flint River Services, Inc.
Business Phone: 229-883-1912
Robert Barr
Chairman
Carroll County Board of Commissioners
Business Phone: 770-830-5800
Greg Blount
Attorney/Partner
Troutman Sanders, LLP
Business Phone: 404-885-3291
Bruce Coles
Chairman/President/CEO
MACTEC, Inc.
Business Phone: 770-360-0610
Patrick Corleto
Vice President/Regional Director
CH2M HILL
Business Phone: 770-640-9182 ext. 311
David Hankerson
County Manager
Cobb County
Business Phone: 770-528-2611
Peter Madsen
Vice President
CH2M HILL
Business Phone: 770-604-9182 ext 336
Ken Morrow
President/General Manager
Sod Atlanta
President
Athletic Fields
Business Phone: 770-382-7284
Steve Nygren
Managing Partner
Serenbe Development
Business Phone: 770-463-2610
Nick Ogden
President
Ogden Consulting and Construction
Business Phone: 912-756-8196
Jeff Pope
President/Co-Owner
Pope Construction, Co., Inc.
Business Phone: 912-764-6138
Walter Reeves
Retired
Horticulture Dept. of University of Georgia’s College of
Agriculture and Environmental Sciences
Business Phone: 404-671-0912
Merry Tipton
Vice President
Corporate Communications for the Sea Island Company
Business Phone: 912-634-4359
Doyle Weltzbarker
President/Owner
Brooksco Farms, Inc.
Senior Partner
Brooksco Dairy, LLC
President/Owner
West End Milling, Inc.
Business Phone: 229-596-0705
Connie Wiggins
Executive Director
Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful
Business Phone: 770-822-5187 ext. 103
Comment by dmac on October 11, 2009 7:08 am
Families for a Clean Tennessee Video Hits the Streets!
VIEW THE VIDEO NOW!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4AfA2_fNMM
Families for a Clean Tennessee released a video reinforcing a poll conducted by Insider Advantage. The poll uncovered that more than 80% of voters oppose dumping nuclear waste in ordinary commercial landfills.
The poll also uncovered the following:
* 90% believe nuclear waste should be disposed of in long-term isolation facilities.
* More than 75% of likely voters-both Democrats and Republicans– are more likely to support a candidate for Governor that is opposed to nuclear dumping and the BSFR program.
* Nearly 60% are more likely to support a legislative candidate that is opposed to nuclear dumping and the BSFR program.
* More than 50% have stated they would actively work for the election of any candidate from either party that opposes the dumping of nuclear waste in Tennessee landfills.
* More than 50% support Senate Bill 687, and more than 60% are more likely to vote for candidates that support Senate Bill 687.
* 63.5% believe that under no circumstance should nuclear waste be dumped in Tennessee.
A copy of the poll has been sent to every legislator in Tennessee along with a pledge asking them to support ending the practice of Bulk Survey for Release.
VIEW THE VIDEO NOW!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4AfA2_fNMM
Comment by tmj99 on October 12, 2009 9:35 am
Families for a Clean Tennessee are very concerned about this latest development: DOE wants to ship low-level radioactive waste to an Anderson County landfill from a closed plutonium extraction plant in New York. See the news article at: http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/oct/09/doe-wants-ship-low-level-radioactive-waste-anderso/ Equivalent to 200 dump truck loads of waste! We must act now. To support this effort call Senator Tim Burchette at 615-741-1766 now! Tell him you are opposed to accepting New York’s nuclear waste in our backyard! Visit our website for more ways you can help combat this activity at http://www.cleantennessee.org/
Comment by tmj99 on October 12, 2009 2:24 pm
[...] and water quality declines. SACE staff presented our official comments as well as transcripts from citizen hearings that we helped host on October 6th across the state to allow individuals to provide comments. These [...]
Pingback by Como criar projetos de Crédito de Carbono » Blog Archive » Clean Energy News Update (via postie) on November 9, 2009 2:12 pm
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