helping right whales

One Hundred Miles asked that I remind my representatives, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, that a horrendous bill is trying to get passed.

That would be HR 9436.

North Atlantic Right Whales use this area of the Atlantic Ocean as the nursery for bearing and raising their young.

However, this bill in the US House of Representatives threatens their future.

In 2022, a bill was passed to delay the  regulation of commercial fishing gear that causes entanglements with whales.

Now, HR 9436 threatens to delay that needed regulation until 2035.  

Seriously?

Why are they allowing the commercial fishing industry to threaten the lives of 380 right whales?

So, I have spoken up and spoken out to my congressmen to make a stand.

Please click the link and join me to save these creatures.

Thank you.

again... no drilling off Georgia coast!!!

How many times do we have to tell our elected officials in Washington, DC, and in Atlanta, GA, that drilling off this southern coast is a terrible idea?

If nothing else, the increased number of hurricanes that speed up that Atlantic Ocean side should give them pause about the horrific man-made disaster that would occur to complicate the natural disaster of ultra-high winds and storms... right?

So when One Hundred Miles asked me to respond, I did.

 

"Please spare Georgia's coast!!!
This is where right whales come to raise their young...
this is where loggerhead sea turtles come to lay their eggs...
this is where Americans from the Southeast 

come to have fun with their children.
Please... allow this coast to be free from oil and gas companies.
Thank you!" 

 

That should soon be posted at Regulations.gov, for all the world to see.

I'll be looking for it.

protection for Glynn County, Georgia

Dear Mayor Johnson, City of Brunswick Commissioners, and Glynn County Commissioners,

We the undersigned support the City of Brunswick Commissioners and the Glynn County Board of Commissioners adopting a resolution that acknowledges the legacy pollution left behind by former industrial operations and the impact it continues to have on our community. We further support that this resolution should URGE:

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to facilitate and finalize effective remediation plans of the two active Superfund sites in Glynn County;
    The Georgia Department of Natural Resources to complete the corrective action plans designed to remediate contaminated soils and groundwater on the former Hercules/Pinova plant, so the site can be reused as a beneficial brownfield;

Private and public investors to donate funds to enable Emory University School of Public Health to expand the pilot research project and further investigate the health of residents of coastal Georgia exposed to the contaminants from Superfund sites in Glynn County;

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the trustees representing the public resources and citizens of Georgia, to assess the natural resource damages and file a claim to help Glynn County residents effectively address the challenges caused by legacy contamination.

* * * * *

Here's hoping the addressees will listen to those who petitioned them.

My thanks to One Hundred Miles for bringing this to my attention.

Let's try to keep the land where my Aunt Barbara lives free from pillaging by industry.

no excuse for speeding in breeding waters

To: Ms. Kelie Moore, Federal Consistency Coordinator, Georgia Department of Natural Resources

Dear Ms. Moore,

I write to express my support for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s proposed expansion of a 2008 vessel speed rule. This proposed rule has been thoroughly studied by NOAA and subject to extensive public review. It is not inconsistent with Georgia’s coastal policies and regulations. Most importantly, the expanded rule is urgently needed to help ensure the survival of Georgia's state marine mammal, the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale.

I stand alongside thousands of other Georgians who care deeply about our coastal way of life and have a long legacy of working collaboratively to protect our wildlife. We understand that we do not have to choose between our economy and protecting these beloved animals. Indeed, many of us choose to live and vacation here precisely because of our iconic species, like right whales. We are proud that our coast plays a singular role in the life history of this majestic species, as its only known calving ground in the world.

With fewer than 360 North Atlantic right whales left on the planet, we must take immediate and drastic action if we want to save them from extinction. Leading right whale scientists tell us we cannot afford to lose a single more whale per year to human causes; yet during the recent 2024 calving season alone, four whales—a reproductive female, a juvenile female, and two newborn calves—were killed or seriously injured by vessel strikes in Southeastern U.S. waters. These recent mortalities, along with other documented deaths in recent years, are killing these animals faster than they can reproduce to save their species.

According to data from NOAA and Georgia DNR, since the existing vessel speed rule was first implemented in 2008, the number of right whales killed by large vessels over 65 feet in the U.S. immediately declined, while the number of mortalities from those 65 feet or less did not. The data is clear: too many whales are still being struck and killed by these smaller vessels.

As we continue this discussion, it is important that we all recognize a few facts. First, the proposed expanded rule will require reduced speeds for only a very small percentage of yachts and large vessels during a few months of the year here in coastal Georgia. Further, these semi-truck sized whales, which can top 50 tons, pose significant safety risks to humans. Fast moving vessels simply cannot see them before it is too late, leading to potentially catastrophic consequences for the whale, vessel, and everyone in the water during a collision. Moreover, human safety is literally baked into the rule itself, as updated safety provisions allow vessels to exceed the 10-knot restriction in circumstances where human health and safety are at risk.

There are currently NO existing technologies that can replace the need for the vessel speed rule. While there are a range of technologies in development that may someday be able to help track whales and alert boaters, they are not tested or as effective in reducing the risk of a fatal strike as a 10-knot vessel speed restriction. Technological solutions will likely never be able to fully replace vessel speed regulations to protect whales. Reducing vessel speed to 10 knots is scientifically proven to reduce the risk of mortality from a collision by up to 90% and is a widely accepted international measure for marine mammal conservation.

Finally, as you prepare your response to NOAA, we urge you to listen to and learn from the experienced wildlife biologists within your own agency, who uniquely understand our whales and the scientific data that demonstrates the need for this vessel speed rule. Georgia has always been a leader for North Atlantic right whale conservation, and the species biologists with Georgia DNR’s Wildlife Resources Division regularly put their lives on the line to monitor and rescue these animals. They can provide the necessary expertise and data to inform your position.

Thank you for considering my comments, and for the work you do to protect our coast and its wildlife. We encourage you to submit your consistency determination letter supporting the expanded rule to NOAA as soon as possible, in hopes that this safe and effective rule will be finalized before next calving season—and before any further preventable deaths for this beloved species.


Sincerely,
Faustina Smith
Savannah, GA
United States

CC: Doug Haymans, GA DNR — Coastal Resources Director
Ted Will, GA DNR — Wildlife Resources Director
Walter Rabon, GA DNR Commissioner
Senator Raphael Warnock
Senator Jon Ossoff
Representative Buddy Carter

 

 

 

 

i already pay the city for my h2o, thanks

Apparently, someone in Congress - and that's someone from Savannah, by the way - has put forth a bill to allow privatization of Georgia's drinking water.

No, thanks.

Why would anyone want to allow a single person to control water rights?

Of course I reacted as soon as I read the alert from One Hundred Miles. 

Dear Representative Derek Mallow,

Please vote NO on HB 1146. Our coast's drinking water is precious and in short supply—especially in Effingham, Bryan, Chatham, and Liberty Counties. 

HB 1146 would facilitate the privatization of our coast’s precious water supply. 

Please, I ask that you vote NO on this bad bill.

HB 1146 would allow private water utilities to outcompete public water utilities, bypass consistency with local government planning, and sell their access to Georgia’s limited drinking water supply to the highest bidder.

Please consider the following potential impacts of HB 1146:

HB 1146 could set up the circumstances for developers and private water providers to overthrow responsible planning efforts that are limited by a shared public resource. Worse, HB 1146 would allow the limited public resource to be privatized by bypassing the public utility mandated by law to ensure its equitable and responsible distribution.

HB 1146 applies to the entire coast and could result in unbridled growth all in every coastal county. The bill would allow private water providers to operate like public water providers and locate points of withdrawal outside of the mapped service area, putting them in direct competition with public water providers, who are required to coordinate with local governments to accommodate growth.

These same areas would likely suffer from inadequate firefighting infrastructure. Especially because these new developments will be outside of previously planned growth areas, the burden of the new firefighting capacity necessary to protect these new communities will fall on the taxpayers.

HB 1146 is full of infrastructural holes that would ultimately increase the burden on taxpayers. The bill does not address access to sewer, even though providing water outside of local government growth priority areas will likely result in a proliferation of septic tanks to accommodate the growth; this is not a sustainable, responsible, or long-term waste water management method for higher density residential developments.  

Finally, HB 1146 encourages an increase in private water providers. If a private water operator goes out of business or the private system fails, water operations will become the responsibility of the taxpayers.

If passed, access to our limited, shared drinking water supply will be granted to the highest bidder. 

HB 1146 is a bad bill. 

I urge you to vote NO on HB 1146! 

Sincerely,

Faustina

sorry, ms. jackson, SB 132 is not good for the Okefenokee

Well, since HB 370 failed to make headway, some disreputable politico changed up some wording to still help whoever is paying them get what they want.

Thanks, One Hundred Miles, for letting me know so I could alert Edna Jackson!

Dear Representative Edna Jackson,

I am very concerned about a bill in the House that seems like it's great for the Okefenokee—but it is NOT. I am referring to SB 132.

The House Rules Committee recently substituted language in Senate Bill (SB) 132 that would impose a statewide moratorium on new dragline mining permit applications to the Georgia EPD for three years.

A moratorium on mining sounds like an excellent way to protect the Okefenokee Swamp. HOWEVER, SB132’s moratorium would be meaningless, with no lasting benefits to the Swamp it's claiming to protect.

I am concerned about two key bill provisions in particular:

First, the moratorium would only prohibit new applications for dragline mining, a type of mining that is not currently utilized by any company in Georgia. Twin Pines has a pending application with GA EPD for a dragline mining permit on Trail Ridge. But even if the bill passes and the moratorium is implemented, it would not affect Twin Pines’ current application for dragline mining or limit other types of mining by Twin Pines or other companies.

Second, the bill contains a loophole that could allow Twin Pines to avoid the moratorium altogether. Despite a three-year moratorium on new dragline permit applications, the bill would allow for modifications to existing permits or permit applications submitted or granted before June 30, 2024. Therefore, even if SB132 passes, this dangerous loophole could allow them to amend their permit or permit application to include the entire 8,000 acres the company plans to mine.

For more than five years, OHM has worked in good faith with hundreds of community members and coalition partners to prevent mining from harming our Okefenokee Swamp. In response to Twin Pines’ mining application, concerned citizens from across the country have voiced support for a permanent legislative solution, like the one proposed in HB71.

As you likely know, there has been tremendous pressure to act. SB132 is a short-sighted, watered-down bill that is an attempt to trick the public. The swamp is not safe and will not be, even if SB132 passes.

Please oppose SB132 because it is a meaningless moratorium that will not result in permanent or long-term protections for the Okefenokee Swamp against mining. Protect our Swamp: Vote AGAINST SB 132!

Sincerely,

Faustina, your constituent

saving salt marshes from construction damage

Honestly, it boils down to this: people's selfishness.

One Hundred Miles is watching out for that, too, especially when such actions threaten the salt marshes of Georgia, and the flora and fauna that call those areas home.

 

I again answered the call to action!

Please consider doing the same, using this link.

Many thanks!

 

Here is what I wrote.

------------

Dear Ms. Jill Andrews [of the Coastal Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources],

I write to voice my concern regarding the Coastal Resources Division (CRD) proposed changes to state regulations regarding the upland component of projects affecting our coastal marshlands (Chapter 391-2-3-.02).

The buffer areas of our coastal marshlands are critically important to the overall health of Georgia’s salt marsh. I support CRD’s continued regulation of the 50-foot buffer for marinas, community docks, commercial docks, fishing piers, boat ramps and bridges over coastal marshlands. But I believe CRD should continue to regulate or oversee smaller projects that affect our marshes—especially shoreline stabilization projects.

Buffers play in an essential role protecting the form and function of marshlands. Buffers allow the marsh to migrate as sea level rises, they filter pollutants, and they defend our uplands from storm surge and rising seas – important ways to protect upland property and structures. Hard shoreline stabilization projects like bulkheads, however, separate the marsh from the uplands and can cause major problems for neighboring property owners who choose not to harden their shoreline.

The Coastal Marshlands Protection Act states activities must be regulated to ensure the values and functions of the coastal marshlands are not impaired. CRD should continue to play a role in permitting shoreline stabilization projects within the 25-foot buffer behind the marsh.

Please do not proceed with the proposed rule change until:
- The amended rules offer greater clarity on the diverse roles of regulatory responsibility for protecting our marsh buffers,
- CRD retains some oversight of approving activities that will affect the health of the marsh, such as shore stabilization projects.
- The agency convenes a task force to develop recommendations to present to the DNR Board.

Do not leave the health of our marshes and the security they offer at risk by rushing forward with this rule change.

Sincerely,
Faustina Smith

[ CC: GA Dept. of Natural Resources Board of Directors ]

saving salt marshes, again

I could hardly believe it when One Hundred Miles told me that HB 370 was again up before the House of Representatives in Congress.

Of course I'd let my Congressperson know my stance again!

Perhaps you will, too?

Here is the link to make that action easy-peasy!

Thanks!

Here's my letter to Edna Jackson.

-----------

Dear State Representative Edna Jackson,

House Bill 370 is a direct threat to more than 50 years of salt marsh protection in Georgia.
As someone who values this unparalleled public resource, I ask that you vote NO on this terrible bill. 

Please consider the following: 

- It is relatively common to possess a Kings Grant. It is extremely uncommon to be able to prove clear title from the time of the issuance of the Kings Grant to the salt marsh. Since state legislators decided that State ownership was the best way to protect Georgia's salt marsh, it is always presumed that the State owns all salt marsh until an individual proves otherwise. In other words, the burden of proof falls on the individual. 

- HB 370 establishes a process whereby an individual merely needs to present a Kings Grant (not the accompanying documentation) to the State Properties Commission (not the Attorney General’s office) and assigns a time period of 180 days for the state agency to verify the Kings Grant. If the State Properties Commission cannot do this within 180 days, it is presumed that the individual's Kings Grant is valid. This bill flips the burden of proof to the State of Georgia. 

- 180 days is NOT enough time to properly scrutinize the legitimacy of the additional titles, deeds, and other evidence a person must present to the State Attorney General (AG) to prove all the conditions of the Kings Grant have been met and maintained. It is the AG's responsibility to authenticate and verify these documents, and that takes time. 

House Bill 370 is a workaround to allow individuals the ability to avoid the necessary scrutiny associated with verifying centuries of paperwork. The result could be a massive giveaway of one of the state's most notably protected natural resources--our salt marsh. Please do not vote in favor of this bill. 

If you are concerned about arguments in favor of HB 370, consider placing the bill in a study committee. There has not been a recent audit of the Attorney General's process for validating Kings Grants. There has been no analysis of how many Kings Grants exist. We do not have a clear understanding of the perceived problem. Before a bill is proposed that could have disastrous ramifications for our salt marsh, more study is needed to ensure that the right solution is proposed. 

Please do not pass HB370. It goes too far and could destroy coastal Georgia's most iconic landscape. 

Thank you for considering my comments.

Sincerely,
Faustina Smith

helping horseshoes

When the message came in from One Hundred Miles to help out these marine creatures with the prehistoric flair, I jumped at the chance!

Maybe you will, too?

Just go to this link by January 31 and fill in the information... many thanks!

 

Here is the letter I sent.

------------

Dear Leslie Furr [of the United States Pharmacopeia],
I want to express my strong support for the adoption of Chapter 86, the proposal that would grant competitive status to endotoxin tests that use synthetic horseshoe crab reagents.

Horseshoe crabs have a vital purpose in providing a renewal food source for other coastal species.

More than 360,000 migrating shorebirds use Georgia’s coast as an essential stopover site as they migrate thousands of miles to and from their nesting grounds in the Arctic and wintering grounds in South America. Some threatened species, like the Red Knot and Whimbrel, fly thousands of miles before stopping. When they do, horseshoe crab eggs provide an essential food source that fuels the birds’ migration and mating.

I applaud the work of the Microbiology Expert Committee in developing this new proposal. It will provide a reliable and sustainable source for endotoxin testing material that does not use the blood of a wild animal. Further, based on real-world evidence with medicines already on the market, the recombinant agents have been shown to be as good as, or better, than traditional testing using limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL).

Finally, we would encourage the United States Pharmacopeia to expedite the process of adopting the new chapter to facilitate earlier adoption by companies that want to convert to recombinant reagents prior to November 2024.

Thank you for considering my comments.

Sincerely,
Faustina Smith

putting in my two cents for coastal legislature

Today is the day before Crossover Day.
I had no idea that even existed.
Apparently, if a proposed bill has not passed either the House or the Senate by the close of that day, then that piece of legislature does not move forward.
In other words, the bill stops and dies in its tracks.
I have to thank One Hundred Miles for cluing me in.
Back in January, I signed on at the Naturalist 101 meeting to become a letter-writer to our elected Georgia representatives.
This morning, they called me to action... and I responded!

------- --------- -------------
The issue: Coal Ash (Multiple Bills)

HB 93: HB 93 would require public notice when Georgia Power begins dewatering coal ash ponds as part of the process of closing these toxic waste impoundments. This bill will be up for a vote on the House floor on Crossover Day.
HB 929: This bill codifies some practices in existing federal and state regulations that call for long-term monitoring of groundwater around closed coal ash ponds. HB 929 was voted out of the House Natural Resources Committee last Thursday, and will be up for a vote on the House floor on Crossover Day.

OHM’s Position: We support the passage of all coal ash bills.
URGENT: These bills will be voted on tomorrow! Contact your Representative and urge him/her to support all coal ash bills.

Done! Representative Mickey Stephens contacted!

---------- ---------- ---------------
The issue: Coal Ash Waste.

SB 123: In 2018, Georgia’s legislature created a new loophole that makes our state even more attractive for dumping toxic coal ash. Local governments can now charge private landfill operators $2.50 for every ton of regular household garbage dumped. But the legislature carved out an exception for coal ash: the surcharge for coal ash is only $1 per ton. This cheaper rate for toxic coal ash creates an incentive for private landfill companies to fill landfills with toxic coal ash. Worse, this loophole means that out-of-state coal ash is not only welcome, but encouraged.
And who pays the real price? Local communities that are missing out on much-needed funds to offset the effects of having a toxic coal ash dump next door. SB 123 will level the playing field and let out-of-state waste generators know we don’t want their toxic coal ash in Georgia.

UPDATE: SB 123 overwhelming passed the Senate by a vote of 50-2 before Crossover Day and will be voted on by the House in the coming weeks.

OHM’s Position: Georgians need all the protection from coal ash we can get. Unfortunately, the strongest bills, HB 756 and SB 297, did not pass out of committee. We support the passage of all coal ash bills before midnight on Crossover Day.
How you can help: Contact to urge your Representative to support SB 123 and all coal ash bills.

I tagged Representative Mickey Stephens for that, too!

----------------- --------- ----------------
The issue: Offshore Drilling.

HR 88: Georgia is the only state on the east coast with a Governor who has not officially commented on plans to drill for oil off our coast. Last year, twin resolutions in support of Georgia’s coastal tourism industry and opposition to offshore drilling were introduced in both the House of Representatives and Senate. The House overwhelmingly passed their version of the resolution, but unfortunately, the Senate Natural Resources Committee would not even hold a hearing on the resolution. Because this is the second year of a two-year session, we have 40 more days for the Senate to pass this important resolution.

How You Can Help: Contact Georgia’s executive team and your Senators and ask them to support SR 88.

Done! From Lt. Governor Duncan to that hefty list of Senators who were elected by coastal counties, I'll be watching their actions, not just their words.

---------- ------------------ ----------------------
The issue: Protection of the Satilla River.

SB 384: Brantley County has worked hard to protect residents from the environmental and public health risks associated with placing a landfill too close to the river. SB 384, introduced by Senator William Ligon (R-Brunswick), would support their ongoing efforts. This bill would also protect hundreds of miles of the Satilla watershed in southeast Georgia, including in Coffee, Ware, Pierce, Atkinson, Brantley, Charlton, and Camden counties. SB 384 would not affect timber, agriculture, development, or residential activities or development.

OHM’s Position: We support the passage of SB 384.
URGENT: This bill will be voted on tomorrow! Contact your Senator and urge him/her to support SB 384.

Done! (Sadly, I did not capture the names of those I contacted, but I will be watching.)

------------ ------------ -------------
Now, to wait for the next update and call to action!
I am delighted to be part of this voice to our government.
Hallelujah!

100 miles

If not for chasing rabbits, I don't know if I ever would have heard of this organization...
and yet, I drive by its office on Drayton Street quite often.
The rabbit I was chasing - provided by the Coastal Jazz Association - led to the site for volunteering for the upcoming Savannah Jazz Festival.
While at that volunteer site, I hippety-hopped to several of the organizations I knew...
and this one that I did not.
One Hundred Miles was founded in 2013 for the sole purpose of preserving Georgia's coastline -for our children, for our grandchildren, for the generations to come.
The science-first organization began in Brunswick, but they're here in my town now.
With its mission principles of education, collaboration, and celebration, it certainly seems tailor-made for me, doesn't it?
I don't know how it has escaped my attention for five years, but I'm onboard.
It's time for another sea change, for me, for the coast I have loved since I was a girl...
for the world.
I joined at the Horsehoe Crab level, mostly because those prehistoric beasts amaze me.
It was as easy as clicking here to choose my favorite.

i thank You, God, for rabbit holes and this birthday gift!