by Dave Williams | Oct 4, 2024 | Capitol Beat News Service
ATLANTA – The National Park Service (NPS) is proposing four land exchanges at the Cumberland Island National Seashore the agency says would protect important parcels now privately owned from development.
But the lack of details surrounding the plan currently available to the public has environmental advocates worried it could threaten the pristine character of Georgia’s largest barrier island, defeating the purpose of Congress designating the national seashore more than 50 years ago.
“We find the proposal the park service has put out to be completely incongruent with the intent of the park,” Jessica Howell-Edwards, executive director of the nonprofit group Wild Cumberland, said during a virtual town hall on the project last month. “It’s very disheartening.”
Cumberland Island, Georgia’s southernmost barrier island, stretches for nearly 18 miles of pristine beaches and wilderness.
At its southern end are the ruins of Dungeness, a mansion built by steel magnate Andrew Carnegie’s brother Thomas in the 1880s.
Toward the northern end is the First African Baptist Church, built by former slaves in the 1890s and rebuilt in the 1930s. The church was the site of the wedding of John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette in 1996.
The island is reachable only by private boat and ferry service that operates twice daily from downtown St. Marys, with a return trip three times a day.
The NPS is seeking public comment on the proposal. The deadline for that input recently was extended from Oct. 6 to Oct. 20, presumably in response to the level of public interest in the plan.
Specifically, the NPS is proposing the following four land exchanges, according to a nine-page document released by the park service:
- Exchange 1: The NPS would receive about 10 acres of unimproved forest located on the marsh side of the island adjacent to Old River Trail, which hikers use as a route to and from Plum Orchard and an alternative to the main road. In exchange, land currently owned by the park service not in an area with high visitor use would be privatized.
- Exchange 2: The park service would receive about 132 acres of upland forest, salt marsh, and ocean frontage, which supports important habitat for shorebirds and federally threatened sea turtles. Acquiring the property would maintain a green corridor east of the main road to the beach and guarantee continuity of the Parallel Trail, the primary north-south artery for hikers. Again, the NPS would privatize land not located in an area with high visitor use.
- Exchange 3: The NPS would receive about 136 acres of upland forest, salt marsh, and ocean frontage east of the main road within the Greyfield Historic District. The property contributes to a greenway and habitat corridor that runs the entire length of the island’s east side. In exchange, NPS-owned property on the marsh side of the island would be privatized. Several structures of varying sizes are located in the area, collectively referred to as Davisville.
- Exchange 4: The park service would receive about 95 acres of unimproved forest land, 85 acres east of the main road and 10 acres west of the main road. The property is adjacent to the island’s main ranger station/visitor center and is 100 yards north of Sea Camp, the largest and busiest campground. In exchange, the NPS would privatize property near the far north end of the seashore within the High Point-Half Moon Bluff Historic District.
In each case, a conservation easement would protect important cultural and natural resources in order to limit development in those areas, according to the park service document.
“Once acquired, these parcels would be part of the seashore and no longer be subject to private development, eliminating that potential source of impacts to natural resources, cultural resources, and visitor uses in those areas,” the NPS document states.
The document goes on to state that the “exact acreages, locations, and terms of the conservation easements” will be part of the negotiation process with the private landowners.
That lack of specifics is what has environmental groups concerned.
“Until proposed deed restrictions and conservation easements are created for the sites to be exchanged, the extent of new private development cannot be predicted,” David Kyler, cofounder and director of the Center for a Sustainable Coast, wrote in an email to Capitol Beat.
“Knowing this is critical because private development directly conflicts with the island’s lawful purpose to ensure that Cumberland Island is maintained in its private state.”
Looming over the proposed land exchanges is a plan the park service unveiled two years ago that essentially would double daily visitation to the island from the current limit of 300 that dates back to 1984.
While the NPS argues its Visitor Use Management Plan would provide access to a wider range of visitors, preservationists say it would ruin what makes the island special.
“That has been the push and pull on Cumberland Island for decades,” said Ricky Leroux, communications strategist for the Georgia chapter of the Sierra Club. “How much of it is going to be wilderness versus development?”
Of some solace to environmental advocates is that the proposed land exchanges can’t move forward until their potential impacts are analyzed through a process required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). That review will involve additional public comment periods allowing concerned parties to gather more details on the project and express their views.
“Hopefully, more information will come out,” Leroux said. “(But) I would encourage as much transparency as possible at every step of the process.”
by Dave Williams | Oct 4, 2024 | Capitol Beat News Service
ATLANTA – Georgia’s two U.S. senators have joined colleagues in five other Southeastern states ravaged by Hurricane Helene to ask for quick passage of a federal disaster relief package.
Congress went into recess last week after passing a stopgap federal funding bill to cover three months of spending. While some Republicans – including U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson – have argued the bill should be sufficient, Democrats and Republicans from the stricken states say more is needed.
Helene made landfall in the Big Bend area of Florida’s Gulf Coast late on Sept. 26 and moved into Georgia as a Category 4 hurricane early on Sept. 27, bringing strong winds, heavy rainfall, and widespread flooding. The death toll in Georgia stands at 33, while at least 270,000 Georgians were still without electricity as of Thursday.
“The devastation from Hurricane Helene across the southeastern United States is simply inconceivable,” Democratic Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock and the senators from Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia wrote in a letter to Senate leadership. “Even preliminary damage assessments indicate that, at a minimum, the total damage and economic loss will be in the tens of billions of dollars. This amount will likely soar as recovery efforts continue and the full picture of this ruinous disaster becomes clear.
“Although the true level of devastation is still unfolding, it is clear that Congress must act to meet the unmet needs in our states and address the scope and scale of destruction experienced by our constituents. This may even require Congress to come back in October to ensure we have enough time to enact legislation before the end of this calendar year.”
President Joe Biden has added his voice to those urging Congress to act sooner rather than later. During an appearance at a pecan farm in South Georgia Thursday, the president urged lawmakers to pass a supplemental spending bill to speed federal aid to the victims.
“Congress has an obligation to ensure states have the resources they need,” he said.
Besides Ossoff and Warnock, signatories to the Senate letter included Republicans Thom Tillis and Ted Budd of North Carolina, Republicans Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott of South Carolina, Republicans Marco Rubio and Rick Scott of Florida, Republicans Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, and Democrats Mark Warner and Tim Kaine of Virginia.
by Dave Williams | Oct 4, 2024 | Capitol Beat News Service
ATLANTA – The ports of Savannah and Brunswick reopened Friday after the union representing striking dockworkers along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts reached a tentative agreement with the U.S. Maritime Alliance.
The settlement deal between the alliance, which represents ports and shipping companies, and the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) suspended the strike until Jan. 15 to give the parties time to negotiate a permanent agreement.
The settlement offered dock workers a 62% raise over six years, up from the 50% offer management put on the table before the three-day strike began.
“The Georgia Ports Authority, Gateway Terminals and the ILA look forward to reopening our facilities and providing the world-class service the Port of Savannah and the Port of Brunswick are known for,” the ports authority wrote late Thursday in a statement notifying customers and business partners of Friday’s reopening.
President Joe Biden praised the agreement in a statement the White House released late Thursday.
“I congratulate the dockworkers from the ILA, who deserve a strong contract after sacrificing so much to keep our ports open during the pandemic,” Biden said. “And I applaud the port operators and carriers who are members of the U.S. Maritime Alliance for working hard and putting a strong offer on the table.”
The Port of Savannah is the second-busiest port on the East Coast and the fourth-busiest in the nation. The Port of Brunswick is the nation’s second-busiest for vehicle cargo.
It’s been a rough couple of weeks for the Georgia ports. Before the longshoremen’s strike began, the ports were forced to limit operations after Hurricane Helene struck South Georgia Sept. 27 with high winds, heavy rain, and severe flooding.
by Dave Williams | Oct 3, 2024 | Capitol Beat News Service
ATLANTA – President Joe Biden called on Congress Thursday to pass a supplemental spending bill to aid victims of Hurricane Helene in Georgia and other Southeastern states.
After touring storm damage from last week’s massive storm in South Georgia, Biden dismissed remarks earlier this week by U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., that there’s no need for Congress to act until after next month’s elections.
“We can’t wait,” the president said during an address at a pecan farm in tiny Ray City. “People need help now.”
Biden arrived in Lowndes County Thursday afternoon after speaking with Gov. Brian Kemp by telephone earlier in the day and promising the federal government will cover 100% of the cleanup costs from Helene for three months.
Biden, a Democrat, was greeted at Moody Air Force Base by U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., and U.S. Reps. Austin Scott, R-Tifton, and Sanford Bishop, D-Albany.
“In moments like this, it’s time to put politics aside,” Biden said.
The president said representatives of the U.S. Department of Agriculture are on the ground in storm-ravaged areas, helping farmers and ranchers apply for federal disaster relief. The widespread damage in Georgia, Florida, and the Carolinas is expected to cost billions of dollars, he said.
Biden noted that residents of South Georgia have been hit with three hurricanes during the past year: Idalia, Debby, and now Helene.
“You’ve been through hell,” he said. “I see you. I hear you. I grieve with you. I promise we have your back.”
Meanwhile, utility officials briefed the Georgia Public Service Commission Thursday afternoon on their response to Helene.
Cleve Fann, vice president of distribution strategy and support for Georgia Power, said the company has restored power to more than 1.2 million customers in the eastern half of the utility’s service area. More than 8,300 poles are down in communities including Valdosta, Savannah, Augusta, Waycross, and Dublin, he said.
“This is the most destructive storm we’ve seen hit the Georgia Power service area,” added Jeremiah Haswell, Georgia Power’s director of regulatory affairs.
Dennis Chastain, president and CEO of Georgia EMC, said 11 of its electric membership corporations were severely impacted by Helene.
“It’s hard to describe the devastation that’s out there,” he said. “It’s miles and miles of wire that were damaged.”
Chastain said 435,000 EMC customers were without power at the peak of the storm. As of Thursday morning, 150,000 remained without service, he said.
David Weekly, director of transmission operations for the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia (MEAG), said 17 municipal electric systems were affected by Helene, with four in the direct path of the storm knocked out completely.
Daryl Ingram, chief operating officer at Electric Cities of Georgia, said multiple cities suffered outages of 80% to 100%, with Douglas and Fitzgerald sustaining the most damage.
“Douglas is a complete disaster zone,” he said.
While most power should be restored by early next week, the utility executives said some remote areas may not get their service back for weeks.
by Dave Williams | Oct 3, 2024 | Capitol Beat News Service
ATLANTA – About 270,000 customers in Georgia still were without electricity Thursday, six days after Hurricane Helene cut a destructive swath across the southeastern part of the state, down from 1.3 million at the storm’s peak.
The death toll in Georgia now is up to at least 33, many from trees falling on their homes, Gov. Brian Kemp said during a briefing Thursday at the state Capitol after touring damaged areas during the previous two days with First Lady Marty Kemp.
“We’ve been on the ground from Valdosta up through Augusta,” Kemp said. “The width of the destruction even compared to Hurricane Michael (in 2018) is so much more.”
Kemp said he spoke to President Joe Biden by telephone Thursday morning to thank him for increasing the federal disaster declaration that originally covered 11 Georgia counties to 41. The governor said he is seeking approval to more than double the number of counties eligible for federal aid.
“There are still a lot of counties out there expressing frustration that they haven’t been added to the list,” Kemp said.
The Biden administration has agreed to cover 100% of the cleanup costs for the first three months, Kemp said.
Chris Stallings, director of the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, said preliminary figures from 50 counties have put the damage estimate at $417 million, a number that is expected to increase significantly in the coming days.
Kemp said nearly 2,000 Georgia National Guard troops are on duty in the hardest-hit areas, clearing roads and transporting critical supplies including food, water, and generators.
Kemp said he heard many stories of dramatic rescues from Georgians directly affected by Helene.
“In every community we went to, everyday heroes stepped up,” he said. “It reminds me what a resilient state we live in and what good people we have.”
Kemp said Georgia crops suffered extensive damage from the storm. He said cotton crops and pecan orchards in the path of Helene were virtually wiped out.
“The ag economy was not good before the storm, and it’s worse now,” he said.
Georgia Commissioner of Transportation Russell McMurry said more than 300 state routes were blocked at the storm’s height, including three interstate highways. That’s now down to just a handful, he said.
However, McMurry cautioned motorists to drive defensively because many of the roads that have been reopened are down to a single lane, while about 250 traffic signals are still out of service. He urged drivers to treat intersections without functioning signals as four-way stops.
“We don’t need anyone else to be hurt or injured,” he said.
Kemp also warned Georgians using generators to make sure their homes are sufficiently ventilated. He said three people in Chatham County who were using a generator died from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Stallings urged residents affected by Helene to be patient with recovery efforts.
“The only thing that happens quickly is the storm itself,” he said.
“A lot of people are frustrated,” Kemp added. “(But) this is unprecedented, a significantly larger power outage storm than we’ve ever dealt with.”
