Advocacy Archives - Coosa River Basin Initiative

Breaking Down the Facts About Microplastics

September 28, 2023

Advocacy, Blog Posts, Education, Restoration, Water Monitoring

Imagining a world without plastics may feel impossible considering what a staple they are in today’s society, yet their large scale production and use only dates back to the 1950s. Since then, their production has surpassed most other man-made materials. It has been estimated that between the 1950s and 2015, approximately 6300 million metric tons of plastic waste has been manufactured, 60% of which currently resides in landfills or the environment, including our water. While many people have heard about…

Georgia textile mill agrees to stop PFAS pollution

May 11, 2023

Advocacy, Press Releases

Coosa River Basin Initiative, SELC reach resolution to protect downstream communities ROME, Ga. — In a victory for the health of Georgia’s Chattooga River, Alabama’s Weiss Lake, and downstream communities, a major textile mill in northwest Georgia has committed to permanently cease the use of PFAS and take action to reduce water pollution. Located on the Chattooga River, the textile mill discharged wastewater polluted with per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to the municipal wastewater treatment plant in Trion, Georgia. Because…

State Level Regulations Will Impact PFAS Usage

February 24, 2023

Advocacy, Blog Posts

In the summer of 2022 the EPA released new health advisories (HAs) for a chemical group known as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). These chemicals are widespread in the environment since they have been commonly used in manufacturing since the 1940s. They are used in the production of everyday items particularly carpet and textiles, non-stick cookware, food packaging, firefighting foam, aerospace, automotive production, construction materials, and electronics. The health advisory comes after mounting scientific evidence is proving that PFAS…

Big News on Coal Ash from EPA

January 11, 2022

Advocacy, Blog Posts, Plant Hammond, Press Releases

Today, EPA took an enormous step toward addressing the real-world pollution concerns surrounding coal ash pond closure. In offering determinations on a handful of specific closure plans, EPA sent clear guidance on how the CCR (coal ash) Rule is to be implemented. From EPAs press release on January 11, 2022: “the proposed determinations re-state EPA’s consistently held position that surface impoundments or landfills cannot be closed with coal ash in contact with groundwater.” The press release further states that “Closure…

EPD Hears Concerns from Citizens at Virtual Hearing

August 11, 2021

Advocacy, Coverage

Coverage from EPDs virtual hearing on the closure plan for Plant Hammond’s AP-3.

Georgia Recorder Article Paints Grim Picture of Coal Ash in Georgia

August 9, 2021

Advocacy, Coverage

Here is an excellent overview of the coal ash problem across the state from Jill Nolin at Georgia Recorder.