Recently I was fortunate enough, or unfortunate enough, depending on how you look at it, to sit in on discussions concerning withdrawals and allocating surface waters of the state of South Carolina. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) and other government agencies, municipalities, hydrogeologists, the energy and paper industries, agriculture, non-governmental organizations like the Nature Conservancy, Edisto Riverkeeper and Friends of the Edisto, and American Rivers, held several workshops in the year 2020. We heard comments and discussions on the current withdrawal and safe yield standards and captured views from these different disciplines. In layman’s terms, SCDHEC is seriously looking at the state’s surface water policies, regulations, and permitting standards regarding the health of the environment and the over-allocating or over-permitting of South Carolina’s surface water. The idea is that overdrawing surface water will negatively affect the health of South Carolina’s water bodies.
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 | We love what we do but we can’t keep this work going without you. We are working with partners all over the area to install these signs at our sampling sites. But keeping up this work depends on our membership and community folks like you. |
Take It to the Bank! (Fishing Access)
This summer, Savannah Riverkeeper is going to “Take It to the Bank.” Not everyone has access to a boat. That could be because you live in an apartment, are young and early in a career, don’t know how the rules of the water or how to operate one, or maybe you really only get out on the water a couple of times each year. Let’s say you only get out there a couple of times each year, but your cousin is coming to visit and wants to take your kids fishing while in town… like you used to do as kids. Without a boat, you have to Take It to the Bank.
Fishing access is important and should be available for all. We will be working to expand bank fishing access and we will be highlighting bank fishing locations on our social media. We will need your help to make this campaign its most successful. We need to know where you go to bank fish - from the McDuffie County Public Fishing Area to Yonah Lake in Georgia and Oconee State Park to the fishing pier at the C.C. Haigh, Jr. landing at Hilton Head Island in South Carolina.
We want to know what you’re catching, see your photos, and hear your stories. Send us your favorite spots so we can give them a shot, too. After all, a bad day fishing beats a good day at work… especially when a day of fishing IS work! Kidding, we’ll send Tonya’s husband on the weekends.
We will take those stories and photos and press lawmakers and local governments to expand local waterway access. We will continue to organize volunteer cleanups to ensure those access points are picked up the best we can. Our water resources should not be limited to special access but need to be available for all.
It’s your river, get into it! We can't wait to see you on the water.
This summer, Savannah Riverkeeper is going to “Take It to the Bank.” Not everyone has access to a boat. That could be because you live in an apartment, are young and early in a career, don’t know how the rules of the water or how to operate one, or maybe you really only get out on the water a couple of times each year. Let’s say you only get out there a couple of times each year, but your cousin is coming to visit and wants to take your kids fishing while in town… like you used to do as kids. Without a boat, you have to Take It to the Bank.
Fishing access is important and should be available for all. We will be working to expand bank fishing access and we will be highlighting bank fishing locations on our social media. We will need your help to make this campaign its most successful. We need to know where you go to bank fish - from the McDuffie County Public Fishing Area to Yonah Lake in Georgia and Oconee State Park to the fishing pier at the C.C. Haigh, Jr. landing at Hilton Head Island in South Carolina.
We want to know what you’re catching, see your photos, and hear your stories. Send us your favorite spots so we can give them a shot, too. After all, a bad day fishing beats a good day at work… especially when a day of fishing IS work! Kidding, we’ll send Tonya’s husband on the weekends.
We will take those stories and photos and press lawmakers and local governments to expand local waterway access. We will continue to organize volunteer cleanups to ensure those access points are picked up the best we can. Our water resources should not be limited to special access but need to be available for all.
It’s your river, get into it! We can't wait to see you on the water.
Today the Corps of Engineers released the findings and conclusion of its study of the retaining wall through the downtown section of the Savannah River between Augusta, GA and North Augusta, SC.The conclusion of the Corps’ study determined the best option is to completely remove the 1.5 mile long wall.
The retaining wall is long overdue for removal. The wall has ripped boat motors from boats, caused damage to property, and has even claimed a number of lives throughout the years.
The retaining wall is long overdue for removal. The wall has ripped boat motors from boats, caused damage to property, and has even claimed a number of lives throughout the years.
​Here’s how the dam’s removal will affect the downtown section of the Savannah River:
- All docks behind the wall will become deeper, as removing the wall will also remove/wash away the sediment from behind it/ underneath the docks.
- The South Carolina side of the river through downtown will move faster and run deeper, continuing to benefit the boaters, dock owners, and anyone recreating on the river.
- Weed patches and invasive plants will not survive as well in the swifter waters.
The wall’s removal will make our river more navigable, safer, and more accessible. Removal of this wall will drastically reduce the sandbar affecting SC residents in lower water and will increase flow for residents on both sides of the Savannah River. The project is projected to cost $5.42 million.
Today’s release of the study opens a 30-day time-clock for public comment. You can find the study release here: https://www.sas.usace.army.mil/About/Divisions-and-Offices/Planning-Division/Plans-and-Reports/
Here’s what we’re asking you to do:
- Tell the Corps of Engineers you want to see the wall removed. Submit your public comment to this email today: CESAS-PD.SAS@usace.army.mil
- Call your Congressional Representative and urge them to back the Corps’ conclusion to remove the wall.
- Call local elected officials and ask them to support the project.
- Share our YouTube video and spread the word. Stay tuned to our social media for updates. Here’s the YouTube video:
History
The retaining wall was constructed in the early 1900’s to enhance the Port of Augusta. It starts a few hundred yards above the railroad bridge near the SC side and continues 1.5 miles, ending below the River North Subdivision boat ramp.
The goal was to deepen water and focus the current on the Augusta side of the river for port traffic, which has not been part of our economy for decades. The project was successful, but effectively changed the course of the river, creating a barrier for sediment and dirt, as well as causing sandbars and weed patches to collect on the South Carolina side of the wall.
During last year’s drawdown, those sandbars were exposed, along with the pylons and materials of the wall itself. It brought the wall’s influence to the attention of the Corps of Engineers and showed that the wall was responsible for a number of issues and was a hazard to people using the river.
We’ve been aware of the wall and it has been part of our strategic plan for a couple of years. We are proud to bring you this news and to have played our role in elevating this project’s importance. We happily support this project that will make your river safer and more accessible.
March 12, 2020, AUGUSTA, GA - Considering the seriousness of the current situation with the COVID-19 pandemic and keeping the best interest and safety of our community members in mind, Savannah Riverkeeper has made the hard decision to postpone the 2020 Roast on the River. The Augusta Roast will move from March 21 to October 24, 2020 and will be held at our Augusta office at 328 Riverfront Drive.
The Roast on the River is a big event with about 600 people in attendance each year. We see folks travel from several regional states and we often host tourists in the area from well outside Augusta’s River Region. Those conditions could expose our members, guests, and community members to infection. Knowing that some guests will be at higher risk or work and live with family members at higher risk, SRK has made the decision not to jeopardize their health and well-being.
This is the largest fundraiser for SRK and our work protecting the Savannah. This was a difficult decision to make but we believe it is the right thing to do. Any tickets purchased for the roast in March will be honored in October, only the date is changing. We realize there may be circumstances for some who cannot attend the October date and we are happy to work with you to refund those tickets.
During this time, as American cities put defenses in place to stop the advancement of the Coronavirus before it gets any worse, we will continue our mission to ensure the waters of the Savannah River watershed are fishable, swimmable, and drinkable. While we may have to do some telecommuting, we are dedicated to our members and the people of our communities.
Thank you for your understanding,
For further information, please email SRK at info@savannahriverkeeper.org or call (706) 826-8991.
The Roast on the River is a big event with about 600 people in attendance each year. We see folks travel from several regional states and we often host tourists in the area from well outside Augusta’s River Region. Those conditions could expose our members, guests, and community members to infection. Knowing that some guests will be at higher risk or work and live with family members at higher risk, SRK has made the decision not to jeopardize their health and well-being.
This is the largest fundraiser for SRK and our work protecting the Savannah. This was a difficult decision to make but we believe it is the right thing to do. Any tickets purchased for the roast in March will be honored in October, only the date is changing. We realize there may be circumstances for some who cannot attend the October date and we are happy to work with you to refund those tickets.
During this time, as American cities put defenses in place to stop the advancement of the Coronavirus before it gets any worse, we will continue our mission to ensure the waters of the Savannah River watershed are fishable, swimmable, and drinkable. While we may have to do some telecommuting, we are dedicated to our members and the people of our communities.
Thank you for your understanding,
For further information, please email SRK at info@savannahriverkeeper.org or call (706) 826-8991.
Guest Blogger Thomas Gardiner reports from the Anderson County Council Town Hall Meeting, Feb. 11, 2020
In December 2014, more than 300,000 gallons of gasoline spilled from a Kinder Morgan pipeline just outside Belton, South Carolina. The spill leaked dangerous and cancer-causing chemicals including MTBE (methyl tertiary-butyl ether) and benzene into the groundwater. Five years and a major lawsuit later, it’s still not clean.
Savannah Riverkeeper Tonya Bonitatibus joined Southern Environmental Law Center’s (SELC) Frank Holleman at a special town hall meeting with local leaders Tuesday to give the public a long-awaited update. Kinder Morgan has never held a public meeting about the spill. Pointing to plots on a map, Holleman said, “All these markers are test wells, where they still find gasoline floating on the groundwater. That’s called free product.”
The spilled gasoline spread out underground for an unknown length of time. Kinder Morgan efforts, including mechanical checks with ‘pipeline pigs’ and visual flyovers, failed to spot the leak. Residents complained about the smell for weeks until a pedestrian noticed a sheen in the pipeline right-of-way. The extent of the underground contamination spread, or “plume,” is still not fully known.
“This plume still hasn’t been fully defined, this contamination is still flowing. The most important thing is to remove the remaining gasoline in the ground, soil, and bedrock. That’s the bottom line,” Holleman said, “It’s been five years since this spill. That’s longer than the U.S. was in World War II. We went from mounted cavalry to the atomic bomb in less time than it’s taking to clean this up.”
A top-notch professional hydrology organization was brought in to identify problem spots, better track the flow of the spill and provide an independent analysis. While they have identified some large pools of gas that could soon make their way into surface water, there is not enough data from Kinder Morgan to get a full understanding of how much is still out there.
Savannah Riverkeeper said they should be using more active recovery methods to clean up the site. Nearly 200,000 gallons were recovered early after the spill by vacuum, but at least 150,000 gallons remain. “It’s just like a sump pump,” Bonitatibus said. “They need to get out here and finish sucking this stuff out instead of letting it slowly leak into our environment and calling that clean.”
Kinder Morgan is currently using passive systems to dissipate the material, including an aerator in Broadway Creek. The spill affected Brown’s Creek and Cupboard Creek which both flow into Broadway Creek.
“Yes, the aerator does help break down the contaminants,” Holleman said, “But the problem is that we shouldn’t be using our creek to try to get rid of the spill. It shouldn’t have been there in the first place and it needs active measures to remove contaminants from our water.”
SELC, SRK, and other partners filed a lawsuit against Kinder Morgan. The case is currently in front of the Supreme Court awaiting a ruling, which is expected by the end of June.
Bonitatibus said, “Savannah Riverkeeper will continue to work with our partners, stay on top of information, and advocate for the well-being of the residents affected. We will advocate for the long-term health of the waterways. It’s been five years, just get the gasoline out. Don’t sit idle and let it just bleed out into our communities.”
South Carolina DHEC has the authority to force Kinder Morgan to ramp up their cleanup efforts. Little has been done on that end, but there is a webpage on the DHEC site dedicated to information about the spill.
“It’s not known where everything is flowing right now and there are gaps in the measurement knowledge. But you don’t necessarily have to answer all of the questions if you just get the gasoline out,” Holleman said.
Holleman said removal of the contaminants is just the right thing to do. He noted that the Belton area has a lot of pipelines, and it’s important for the company to be held accountable. This is not the first pipeline spill in the area. DHEC and other regulators’ hesitance to enforce cleanup sends a message to other companies that they won’t be held accountable if one of their pipelines fails.
“You can make a big difference,” Bonitatibus said. “Use your voices, write to the local papers. This spill was among the top 5% in the nation and it’s just being left. Together we can speak up and make a big difference in this fight.”
In December 2014, more than 300,000 gallons of gasoline spilled from a Kinder Morgan pipeline just outside Belton, South Carolina. The spill leaked dangerous and cancer-causing chemicals including MTBE (methyl tertiary-butyl ether) and benzene into the groundwater. Five years and a major lawsuit later, it’s still not clean.
Savannah Riverkeeper Tonya Bonitatibus joined Southern Environmental Law Center’s (SELC) Frank Holleman at a special town hall meeting with local leaders Tuesday to give the public a long-awaited update. Kinder Morgan has never held a public meeting about the spill. Pointing to plots on a map, Holleman said, “All these markers are test wells, where they still find gasoline floating on the groundwater. That’s called free product.”
The spilled gasoline spread out underground for an unknown length of time. Kinder Morgan efforts, including mechanical checks with ‘pipeline pigs’ and visual flyovers, failed to spot the leak. Residents complained about the smell for weeks until a pedestrian noticed a sheen in the pipeline right-of-way. The extent of the underground contamination spread, or “plume,” is still not fully known.
“This plume still hasn’t been fully defined, this contamination is still flowing. The most important thing is to remove the remaining gasoline in the ground, soil, and bedrock. That’s the bottom line,” Holleman said, “It’s been five years since this spill. That’s longer than the U.S. was in World War II. We went from mounted cavalry to the atomic bomb in less time than it’s taking to clean this up.”
A top-notch professional hydrology organization was brought in to identify problem spots, better track the flow of the spill and provide an independent analysis. While they have identified some large pools of gas that could soon make their way into surface water, there is not enough data from Kinder Morgan to get a full understanding of how much is still out there.
Savannah Riverkeeper said they should be using more active recovery methods to clean up the site. Nearly 200,000 gallons were recovered early after the spill by vacuum, but at least 150,000 gallons remain. “It’s just like a sump pump,” Bonitatibus said. “They need to get out here and finish sucking this stuff out instead of letting it slowly leak into our environment and calling that clean.”
Kinder Morgan is currently using passive systems to dissipate the material, including an aerator in Broadway Creek. The spill affected Brown’s Creek and Cupboard Creek which both flow into Broadway Creek.
“Yes, the aerator does help break down the contaminants,” Holleman said, “But the problem is that we shouldn’t be using our creek to try to get rid of the spill. It shouldn’t have been there in the first place and it needs active measures to remove contaminants from our water.”
SELC, SRK, and other partners filed a lawsuit against Kinder Morgan. The case is currently in front of the Supreme Court awaiting a ruling, which is expected by the end of June.
Bonitatibus said, “Savannah Riverkeeper will continue to work with our partners, stay on top of information, and advocate for the well-being of the residents affected. We will advocate for the long-term health of the waterways. It’s been five years, just get the gasoline out. Don’t sit idle and let it just bleed out into our communities.”
South Carolina DHEC has the authority to force Kinder Morgan to ramp up their cleanup efforts. Little has been done on that end, but there is a webpage on the DHEC site dedicated to information about the spill.
“It’s not known where everything is flowing right now and there are gaps in the measurement knowledge. But you don’t necessarily have to answer all of the questions if you just get the gasoline out,” Holleman said.
Holleman said removal of the contaminants is just the right thing to do. He noted that the Belton area has a lot of pipelines, and it’s important for the company to be held accountable. This is not the first pipeline spill in the area. DHEC and other regulators’ hesitance to enforce cleanup sends a message to other companies that they won’t be held accountable if one of their pipelines fails.
“You can make a big difference,” Bonitatibus said. “Use your voices, write to the local papers. This spill was among the top 5% in the nation and it’s just being left. Together we can speak up and make a big difference in this fight.”
"DAM SAFETY STAKES ARE JUST TOO HIGH"
By Tonya Bonitatibus, Savannah Riverkeeper
This opinion editorial appeared in the Augusta Chronicle January 29
South Carolina led the South in population growth from 2018 to 2019, taking sixth in the nation for growth percentage. That’s a trend that’s putting pressure on different parts of life in the Palmetto State, and is helping fuel an issue in the Statehouse that has some of our farmers at a cross with legislators over dam safety requirements and exemptions.
When we say dam safety, it’s really about structural integrity and inspections to make sure owners are keeping the structure in order to avoid failure and potential disaster. But it isn’t just about monolithic dams that create reservoirs like Lake Marion.
South Carolina is home to over 10,000 dams, most of which are out of sight and out of mind. If you’ve caught fish at Barnwell State Park or driven across the dam of Lake Brown, you’ve interacted with some of these – likely without thinking about it.
If the dam at Bryan Street failed, a huge deluge of water would rush down Turkey Creek, ripping out streets, washing away cars, and threatening homes and businesses on its way downstream. While not all of the 10,000 dams here present that level of risk, the waters released have to go somewhere, putting extra, sudden pressure on other dams and systems downstream. Yet, some of our neighbors want exemptions from these safety regulations.
The fault doesn’t all lie with our farmers and landowners, though, to be fair. That growing population in our state is fuel for developers who are building new subdivisions. Many of those neighborhoods are close to waterways, maybe just outside a normal flood plain or in an area artificially elevated in a known wetland.
That means that some of the earthen dams built a couple of generations ago now have a higher risk than before and are coming under more scrutiny. While development and growth are typically markers of a strong economy, sometimes they pass responsibility onto others.
That’s a frustrating position to be in and many of us can identify. Maybe we’ve never owned a dam, but we’ve experienced neighborhood flooding because of stormwater runoff or heavy traffic on smaller roads because infrastructure couldn’t match development growth.
But that doesn’t mean there should be an exemption. As the world changes, we have a responsibility to adapt as well. Regardless of the situation downstream, owners have a responsibility to manage that structure and its upkeep. When roads, bridges and other infrastructure, homes, property, and lives are at risk, the stakes are just too high to turn a blind eye.
Dam safety regulations should be streamlined and built to make sure the Department of Health and Environmental Control can actually go out and do the job – 10,000 dams is no small task. But given the higher rain levels we’re seeing from hurricanes and the recent dam failures in neighboring counties, dam safety must be strengthened, not weakened by loopholes.
In 2015, floods busted 51 state-regulated dams. In 2018, rains from Hurricane Florence caused more than 75 regulated dams to fail. Those failures destroyed homes, property, and infrastructure and took dozens of lives because of it. The stakes are really just too high to sell dam safety down the river.
TAKE ACTION! Contact your South Carolina Representative or Senator and say you want a bill that addresses safety regulations for small dams in our state.
By Tonya Bonitatibus, Savannah Riverkeeper
This opinion editorial appeared in the Augusta Chronicle January 29
South Carolina led the South in population growth from 2018 to 2019, taking sixth in the nation for growth percentage. That’s a trend that’s putting pressure on different parts of life in the Palmetto State, and is helping fuel an issue in the Statehouse that has some of our farmers at a cross with legislators over dam safety requirements and exemptions.
When we say dam safety, it’s really about structural integrity and inspections to make sure owners are keeping the structure in order to avoid failure and potential disaster. But it isn’t just about monolithic dams that create reservoirs like Lake Marion.
South Carolina is home to over 10,000 dams, most of which are out of sight and out of mind. If you’ve caught fish at Barnwell State Park or driven across the dam of Lake Brown, you’ve interacted with some of these – likely without thinking about it.
If the dam at Bryan Street failed, a huge deluge of water would rush down Turkey Creek, ripping out streets, washing away cars, and threatening homes and businesses on its way downstream. While not all of the 10,000 dams here present that level of risk, the waters released have to go somewhere, putting extra, sudden pressure on other dams and systems downstream. Yet, some of our neighbors want exemptions from these safety regulations.
The fault doesn’t all lie with our farmers and landowners, though, to be fair. That growing population in our state is fuel for developers who are building new subdivisions. Many of those neighborhoods are close to waterways, maybe just outside a normal flood plain or in an area artificially elevated in a known wetland.
That means that some of the earthen dams built a couple of generations ago now have a higher risk than before and are coming under more scrutiny. While development and growth are typically markers of a strong economy, sometimes they pass responsibility onto others.
That’s a frustrating position to be in and many of us can identify. Maybe we’ve never owned a dam, but we’ve experienced neighborhood flooding because of stormwater runoff or heavy traffic on smaller roads because infrastructure couldn’t match development growth.
But that doesn’t mean there should be an exemption. As the world changes, we have a responsibility to adapt as well. Regardless of the situation downstream, owners have a responsibility to manage that structure and its upkeep. When roads, bridges and other infrastructure, homes, property, and lives are at risk, the stakes are just too high to turn a blind eye.
Dam safety regulations should be streamlined and built to make sure the Department of Health and Environmental Control can actually go out and do the job – 10,000 dams is no small task. But given the higher rain levels we’re seeing from hurricanes and the recent dam failures in neighboring counties, dam safety must be strengthened, not weakened by loopholes.
In 2015, floods busted 51 state-regulated dams. In 2018, rains from Hurricane Florence caused more than 75 regulated dams to fail. Those failures destroyed homes, property, and infrastructure and took dozens of lives because of it. The stakes are really just too high to sell dam safety down the river.
TAKE ACTION! Contact your South Carolina Representative or Senator and say you want a bill that addresses safety regulations for small dams in our state.
The Savannah River is home to the Atlantic and Shortnose Sturgeon, but they are in danger of disappearing. Now, you can support efforts to restore habitat, return these fish to their breeding grounds, and help them thrive again by participating in our Save the Sturgeon program!
We've all seen various charities' paper cutouts at grocery store counters - these fish are the same idea - you can buy a Sturgeon cutout for $1, $5, or $10 at local restaurants, breweries and other shops.
To promote Sturgeon Awareness, Savannah Riverkeeper will partner with businesses in Savannah and Augusta. One business in each market will sell the paper fish for ONE MONTH, supporting Savannah Riverkeeper’s efforts to protect and restore endangered sturgeon populations. We're kicking it off in February with our friends at Savannah River Brewing Co.!
ARE YOU A BUSINESS INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING? HERE'S HOW IT WORKS
If you want to take part, we will provide you with everything needed. An SRK representative will come to a minimum of 2 shift meetings to explain how it works and hype selling of the fish to your staff. There are prize levels from SRK for the best sellers! Your business may offer your own incentives, too. We'll provide an easy competition poster to keep track, as well as button pins, posters, table toppers, and optional shirts for promoting the paper fish sales. At the end of the month, we'll return to distribute prizes and collect the funds. We will promote your partnership through social media and there are other kickbacks for staff who sell the most! For a full rundown, reach out to rachel@savannahriverkeeper.org to get an info packet or schedule a meeting.
We've all seen various charities' paper cutouts at grocery store counters - these fish are the same idea - you can buy a Sturgeon cutout for $1, $5, or $10 at local restaurants, breweries and other shops.
To promote Sturgeon Awareness, Savannah Riverkeeper will partner with businesses in Savannah and Augusta. One business in each market will sell the paper fish for ONE MONTH, supporting Savannah Riverkeeper’s efforts to protect and restore endangered sturgeon populations. We're kicking it off in February with our friends at Savannah River Brewing Co.!
ARE YOU A BUSINESS INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING? HERE'S HOW IT WORKS
If you want to take part, we will provide you with everything needed. An SRK representative will come to a minimum of 2 shift meetings to explain how it works and hype selling of the fish to your staff. There are prize levels from SRK for the best sellers! Your business may offer your own incentives, too. We'll provide an easy competition poster to keep track, as well as button pins, posters, table toppers, and optional shirts for promoting the paper fish sales. At the end of the month, we'll return to distribute prizes and collect the funds. We will promote your partnership through social media and there are other kickbacks for staff who sell the most! For a full rundown, reach out to rachel@savannahriverkeeper.org to get an info packet or schedule a meeting.
This year, Savannah Riverkeeper is celebrating ten years of hosting the annual Roast on the River! The beloved oyster roast fundraiser will be held on Saturday, January 18, 2020 at 6:00 pm, once again at Hogan’s Marina on Wilmington Island. The Marina has been the location, a major sponsor and great friend of the organization for a decade. We are so grateful to them for the hardworking team and heartfelt support.
As always, if you join us at the Roast you and your friends will enjoy an abundance of fresh, local seafood including steamed oyster clusters from Bluffton Oyster Co., a lowcountry boil with wild-caught shrimp and Savannah-made Roger Wood smoked sausage, and vegetarian chili. Craft beer on the menu will include brews from our friends at Moon River, Coastal Empire, and Savannah River brewing companies. For fun, there will be live music and raffle items from local businesses. This casual, on-the-water event is a fundraiser for Savannah Riverkeeper, benefiting our efforts to restore, protect, and educate the entire Savannah River basin.
The cost $50/person or $80/couple for entry and dinner, with 4 drink tickets included. You can find tickets at www.savannahriverkeeper.org under "events" (or click here http://bit.ly/savroast2020). We hope to see you there!
VIP tickets are also available and include a sunset boat ride from Bull River Cruises with the Savannah Riverkeeper before the event with drinks and appetizers onboard. Current SRK members get special discounts! Tickets often sell out during presale, so get yours today and help support this important cause for clean water in the year to come.
And remember, we also host a Roast on the River in Augusta, GA annually - this year's is to be held March 21, 2020 and tickets are also online now at http://bit.ly/augroast2020.
As always, if you join us at the Roast you and your friends will enjoy an abundance of fresh, local seafood including steamed oyster clusters from Bluffton Oyster Co., a lowcountry boil with wild-caught shrimp and Savannah-made Roger Wood smoked sausage, and vegetarian chili. Craft beer on the menu will include brews from our friends at Moon River, Coastal Empire, and Savannah River brewing companies. For fun, there will be live music and raffle items from local businesses. This casual, on-the-water event is a fundraiser for Savannah Riverkeeper, benefiting our efforts to restore, protect, and educate the entire Savannah River basin.
The cost $50/person or $80/couple for entry and dinner, with 4 drink tickets included. You can find tickets at www.savannahriverkeeper.org under "events" (or click here http://bit.ly/savroast2020). We hope to see you there!
VIP tickets are also available and include a sunset boat ride from Bull River Cruises with the Savannah Riverkeeper before the event with drinks and appetizers onboard. Current SRK members get special discounts! Tickets often sell out during presale, so get yours today and help support this important cause for clean water in the year to come.
And remember, we also host a Roast on the River in Augusta, GA annually - this year's is to be held March 21, 2020 and tickets are also online now at http://bit.ly/augroast2020.
Hello Fellow River Lovers,
As I write this, it’s been a busy day at Savannah Riverkeeper wrapping up the year and preparing for the next. But 12 years on this job have taught me that busy days are normal days when you’re trying to save one of the largest and most important rivers in the Southeast. Every day, governments, communities, businesses, and individuals make decisions that impact your waterways. That means we must constantly defend and push for the best outcomes for the river and the 1.4 million who drink out of it daily. But nothing worth fighting for comes easy, and this year has been no exception.
All of our efforts stand on the pillars of protection, restoration, and education, and protection is first for a reason. Advocacy is at the heart of our work. It’s the most important thing that we do and what I’m most passionate about. Fighting for the protection of the entire Savannah, and those relying on her, must always be our primary goal. I’d like to share a bit about a few of those efforts this last year.
Our Clean Water Act case with the Southern Environmental Law Center against pipeline giant Kinder Morgan has garnered national attention by moving all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The lawsuit aims to hold the company accountable for the cleanup of its 2014 oil spill in Belton, South Carolina. They allege that the spill was not a “direct discharge” into the creek, but instead went into the groundwater. We know that 300,000 gallons of gasoline continues to leak into the waterways, and must be cleaned up appropriately. As Waterkeepers pledge to do, we will persist until these polluters are held accountable for the damages to our natural resources and taxpayers.
Protecting the river also means taking on issues that are controversial, as with Augusta’s Lock and Dam. This year Savannah Riverkeeper has weathered constant attacks on our reputation for involvement in the complicated dam removal, as well as well-funded misinformation campaigns led by special interests. But good advocates stand for what’s right, not what’s easy. We are resolute in ensuring the project improves the outlook for endangered sturgeon, makes the most of the impending changes by creating opportunities for the future, and ultimately satisfies the community that uses this river.
In Ridgeland, SC, an illegal landfill marketed as a recycling facility caught fire and burned for six months, spewing alarming concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, selenium, and and other toxins and carcinogens into the air and ditches flowing to the nearby Okatie River. We worked closely with SC DHEC and local officials to assess the extent of the ongoing disaster, and identify ways to slow the contaminants’ flow off-site. This coming legislative session, we will pursue the regulatory changes needed to ensure this type of offense is never allowed to happen again.
The second cornerstone of our organization, restoration, is the act of fixing what is impaired, whether small or large-scale. In 2019 more than 650 Savannah Riverkeeper volunteers have kept 25 tons of trash out of our communities and waterways through cleanups and service events throughout the watershed. Savannah Riverkeeper works with local leaders like the Marshal’s Office, stormwater and utilities departments, neighborhoods, universities, and local businesses to amplify our impact. Efforts like these are a crucial part of our mission. Getting people outside and engaging with their waterways is a gateway to lifelong conservation. It doesn’t just improve the river, it strengthens our communities.
Two of Savannah Riverkeeper's long-term projects will significantly restore and protect the Savannah River. Efforts are underway to restore the Savannah River’s natural flow between Augusta and Savannah. As the non-federal sponsor of the project, Savannah Riverkeeper is laying the groundwork for one of the largest river restorations in U.S. history. We are working to ensure that $12.5 million in dedicated restoration funds from the Savannah Harbor settlement are leveraged to make a lasting positive impact on the watershed. And thanks to a seed grant from Georgia EPD, we are working to build a publicly accessible website for water quality data collected in the Savannah and Ogeechee River basins. Savannah Riverkeeper is leading these collaborative efforts with government from both states, and other conservation partners.
Now in its second year, our Veterans for Clean Water program has built a dependable base of regularly engaged volunteers and added an in-house laboratory for water samples. VFCW volunteers, mostly in kayaks, collect, process, and communicate water quality results from 17 popular sites around the watershed to let users know when bacteria levels are a threat. They test the water throughout the summer and prior to large swim events like IronMan and Gatorfest. VFCW also maintains trash traps at 3 different locations, and carries out scrap tire pickups, and takes on restoration projects beyond the scope of the average volunteer. With growing partnerships within and beyond the environmental community, this program is changing veterans' lives and improving the Savannah River. Program coordinator Truck Carlson was honored to be a speaker at TEDx Savannah, and recently won the Georgia Water Coalition’s prestigious Clean 13 Award for his efforts. These achievements in such a short period of time give me great hope for an even stronger program in 2020.
Education includes spreading the good word of conservation throughout our communities. The Savannah Riverkeeper staff is dedicated to that in so many ways. We’ve appeared at speeches, schools, civic clubs, and community events. Our social media reached 1.75 million people this year. Our staff has been tapped by local and national media over 200 times for interviews, appearances, and stories (including the cover of Savannah Magazine's Life on the Water issue)!
In the lower river area, Outreach Coordinator Dave Mewborn has engaged 250 new volunteers for cleanups and on-the-water outings. We hosted two sold-out Roast on the River events in Savannah and Augusta. For our second annual One River membership drive, we took a team approach to fundraising, and with your help, raised nearly $10,000 and 100 new members for the organization.
Lastly, but of course not least, this year I had the absolute honor of marrying my best friend on the banks of the Sun Koshi River in Nepal in the presence of several friends, family members, and a dozen fellow Waterkeepers. While we were abroad, we participated in river cleanup service projects, a rally against egregious pollution and injustice by a coal plant, and provided training and support to Waterkeepers in Bangladesh. As a longtime council member, and recently elected Waterkeeper Alliance Board of Directors member, I am grateful to get to fight for clean water alongside some of the most selfless and courageous advocates in the world and to serve those who need it most.
But my wish for the holidays, or a wedding gift if you will, is for you to continue supporting Savannah Riverkeeper in the coming year. Join or renew your membership, make a donation, come to an event, or tell a friend, coworker, or family member about our work. Click here to support us.
Reach out if you’re interested in volunteering for a cleanup, event committee, water quality monitoring with Adopt-A-Stream or VFCW, or a hands-on project to serve the watershed. Don’t hesitate to report suspected pollution by calling our office at 706-826-8991 or toll-free at 844-263-1415. It’s easy, and it can make a huge difference. And as always, thank you for being a friend of the river.
Your Savannah Riverkeeper,
Tonya Bonitatibus
P.S. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at @savriverkeeper. If you have feedback to share, send us a message. If you're on the water boating, fishing, paddling, swimming, sailing, or whatever it is you do, post a photo and tag #saveoursavannah. I love to see all the ways you enjoy the water and the unique, diverse communities on every part of the Savannah River!
P.P.S. Join us at our Roast on the River in Savannah January 18, and in Augusta March 21, for oysters, lowcountry boil, local craft beer, and more fun! Tickets are on sale now at savannahriverkeeper.org and they support our mission of protecting, restoring, and educating the river basin.
As I write this, it’s been a busy day at Savannah Riverkeeper wrapping up the year and preparing for the next. But 12 years on this job have taught me that busy days are normal days when you’re trying to save one of the largest and most important rivers in the Southeast. Every day, governments, communities, businesses, and individuals make decisions that impact your waterways. That means we must constantly defend and push for the best outcomes for the river and the 1.4 million who drink out of it daily. But nothing worth fighting for comes easy, and this year has been no exception.
All of our efforts stand on the pillars of protection, restoration, and education, and protection is first for a reason. Advocacy is at the heart of our work. It’s the most important thing that we do and what I’m most passionate about. Fighting for the protection of the entire Savannah, and those relying on her, must always be our primary goal. I’d like to share a bit about a few of those efforts this last year.
Our Clean Water Act case with the Southern Environmental Law Center against pipeline giant Kinder Morgan has garnered national attention by moving all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The lawsuit aims to hold the company accountable for the cleanup of its 2014 oil spill in Belton, South Carolina. They allege that the spill was not a “direct discharge” into the creek, but instead went into the groundwater. We know that 300,000 gallons of gasoline continues to leak into the waterways, and must be cleaned up appropriately. As Waterkeepers pledge to do, we will persist until these polluters are held accountable for the damages to our natural resources and taxpayers.
Protecting the river also means taking on issues that are controversial, as with Augusta’s Lock and Dam. This year Savannah Riverkeeper has weathered constant attacks on our reputation for involvement in the complicated dam removal, as well as well-funded misinformation campaigns led by special interests. But good advocates stand for what’s right, not what’s easy. We are resolute in ensuring the project improves the outlook for endangered sturgeon, makes the most of the impending changes by creating opportunities for the future, and ultimately satisfies the community that uses this river.
In Ridgeland, SC, an illegal landfill marketed as a recycling facility caught fire and burned for six months, spewing alarming concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, selenium, and and other toxins and carcinogens into the air and ditches flowing to the nearby Okatie River. We worked closely with SC DHEC and local officials to assess the extent of the ongoing disaster, and identify ways to slow the contaminants’ flow off-site. This coming legislative session, we will pursue the regulatory changes needed to ensure this type of offense is never allowed to happen again.
The second cornerstone of our organization, restoration, is the act of fixing what is impaired, whether small or large-scale. In 2019 more than 650 Savannah Riverkeeper volunteers have kept 25 tons of trash out of our communities and waterways through cleanups and service events throughout the watershed. Savannah Riverkeeper works with local leaders like the Marshal’s Office, stormwater and utilities departments, neighborhoods, universities, and local businesses to amplify our impact. Efforts like these are a crucial part of our mission. Getting people outside and engaging with their waterways is a gateway to lifelong conservation. It doesn’t just improve the river, it strengthens our communities.
Two of Savannah Riverkeeper's long-term projects will significantly restore and protect the Savannah River. Efforts are underway to restore the Savannah River’s natural flow between Augusta and Savannah. As the non-federal sponsor of the project, Savannah Riverkeeper is laying the groundwork for one of the largest river restorations in U.S. history. We are working to ensure that $12.5 million in dedicated restoration funds from the Savannah Harbor settlement are leveraged to make a lasting positive impact on the watershed. And thanks to a seed grant from Georgia EPD, we are working to build a publicly accessible website for water quality data collected in the Savannah and Ogeechee River basins. Savannah Riverkeeper is leading these collaborative efforts with government from both states, and other conservation partners.
Now in its second year, our Veterans for Clean Water program has built a dependable base of regularly engaged volunteers and added an in-house laboratory for water samples. VFCW volunteers, mostly in kayaks, collect, process, and communicate water quality results from 17 popular sites around the watershed to let users know when bacteria levels are a threat. They test the water throughout the summer and prior to large swim events like IronMan and Gatorfest. VFCW also maintains trash traps at 3 different locations, and carries out scrap tire pickups, and takes on restoration projects beyond the scope of the average volunteer. With growing partnerships within and beyond the environmental community, this program is changing veterans' lives and improving the Savannah River. Program coordinator Truck Carlson was honored to be a speaker at TEDx Savannah, and recently won the Georgia Water Coalition’s prestigious Clean 13 Award for his efforts. These achievements in such a short period of time give me great hope for an even stronger program in 2020.
Education includes spreading the good word of conservation throughout our communities. The Savannah Riverkeeper staff is dedicated to that in so many ways. We’ve appeared at speeches, schools, civic clubs, and community events. Our social media reached 1.75 million people this year. Our staff has been tapped by local and national media over 200 times for interviews, appearances, and stories (including the cover of Savannah Magazine's Life on the Water issue)!
In the lower river area, Outreach Coordinator Dave Mewborn has engaged 250 new volunteers for cleanups and on-the-water outings. We hosted two sold-out Roast on the River events in Savannah and Augusta. For our second annual One River membership drive, we took a team approach to fundraising, and with your help, raised nearly $10,000 and 100 new members for the organization.
Lastly, but of course not least, this year I had the absolute honor of marrying my best friend on the banks of the Sun Koshi River in Nepal in the presence of several friends, family members, and a dozen fellow Waterkeepers. While we were abroad, we participated in river cleanup service projects, a rally against egregious pollution and injustice by a coal plant, and provided training and support to Waterkeepers in Bangladesh. As a longtime council member, and recently elected Waterkeeper Alliance Board of Directors member, I am grateful to get to fight for clean water alongside some of the most selfless and courageous advocates in the world and to serve those who need it most.
But my wish for the holidays, or a wedding gift if you will, is for you to continue supporting Savannah Riverkeeper in the coming year. Join or renew your membership, make a donation, come to an event, or tell a friend, coworker, or family member about our work. Click here to support us.
Reach out if you’re interested in volunteering for a cleanup, event committee, water quality monitoring with Adopt-A-Stream or VFCW, or a hands-on project to serve the watershed. Don’t hesitate to report suspected pollution by calling our office at 706-826-8991 or toll-free at 844-263-1415. It’s easy, and it can make a huge difference. And as always, thank you for being a friend of the river.
Your Savannah Riverkeeper,
Tonya Bonitatibus
P.S. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at @savriverkeeper. If you have feedback to share, send us a message. If you're on the water boating, fishing, paddling, swimming, sailing, or whatever it is you do, post a photo and tag #saveoursavannah. I love to see all the ways you enjoy the water and the unique, diverse communities on every part of the Savannah River!
P.P.S. Join us at our Roast on the River in Savannah January 18, and in Augusta March 21, for oysters, lowcountry boil, local craft beer, and more fun! Tickets are on sale now at savannahriverkeeper.org and they support our mission of protecting, restoring, and educating the river basin.
By Dave Mewborn, SRK Outreach Coordinator
On December 4, 2019, the Georgia Public Service Commission will vote on whether or not Georgia Power can raise their fixed monthly fee and user rates.
In the next 3 years, Georgia Power wants to increase its monthly fixed rate from $10/month in 2019 to $17.95/month by 2022 and increase usage rates cents/kWh (cents per kilowatt-hour) 6.7 cents currently to 7.5 cents by 2022. Georgia Power can request rate increases every three years. In Georgia, elderly and marginalized citizens in low-income communities, and communities of color often bear the heaviest burden of energy costs, losing up to three times more of their income to energy bills than higher-income households.
Savannah Riverkeeper believes in access to affordable, clean energy for everyone. Georgia Power’s proposed rate increases raise several questions: What will happen to fossil fuel facilities like Plant McIntosh in Rincon, GA? When will it be closed completely, and what care will be given to the overseeing of this plant’s closure, ethically and environmentally? Who is paying for the cleanups and disposal of the coal ash from plants in Georgia, and will it be stored safely in lined facilities where it is unlikely to pose a risk to people and waterways?
About a hundred citizens attended the Coastal Listening Session in Savannah on October 16, it was evident that the people of Savannah-Chatham County see no good reason for the price hike. They question how sincere Georgia Power is in promises to move away from fossil fuels, and how much research and resources are being put towards greener, cleaner forms of energy. Concerned about the dangers of nuclear power, many citizens hope for a near future in which alternatives like wind and solar become our primary sources of energy. Both commissioners in attendance from District 2 (Tim Echols) and District 5 (Tricia Pridemore) were eager to point out available programs to assist qualified customers, like seniors with fixed income and lower-income households, in lowering and helping to pay their energy bills.
Written public comments are not being accepted, but you can choose to speak at a hearing. Two important PSC public hearings where you can voice your opinion on this matter are set for November 4 and November 25 at 8:00 am at 244 Washington St. SW, Atlanta, GA.
If you cannot make it to Atlanta on those days, you can contact your representatives at the Public Service Commission with questions, concerns, and comments. If you email them, make sure to include “For Official Use: Georgia Power Rate Increase” in the subject. Representative from District 2 Tim Echols assures us that these will be read and addressed at the public hearings. PSC votes on this issue on December 4, 2019.
Contact:
District 1 Jason Shaw jshaw@psc.state.ga.us 404-463-6745
District 2 Tim Echols techols@psc.state.ga.us 404-463-0214
District 3 Chuck Eaton ceaton@psc.stae.ga.us 404-657-2020
District 4 Bubba McDonald Lmcdonald@psc.state.ga.us 404-463-4260
District 5 Tricia Pridemore tpridemore@psc.state.ga.us 404-657-4574
For more info and to sign up to speak at a public meeting, visit our friends at www.fighthehike.org or sign the Harambee House petition by clicking here.
In the next 3 years, Georgia Power wants to increase its monthly fixed rate from $10/month in 2019 to $17.95/month by 2022 and increase usage rates cents/kWh (cents per kilowatt-hour) 6.7 cents currently to 7.5 cents by 2022. Georgia Power can request rate increases every three years. In Georgia, elderly and marginalized citizens in low-income communities, and communities of color often bear the heaviest burden of energy costs, losing up to three times more of their income to energy bills than higher-income households.
Savannah Riverkeeper believes in access to affordable, clean energy for everyone. Georgia Power’s proposed rate increases raise several questions: What will happen to fossil fuel facilities like Plant McIntosh in Rincon, GA? When will it be closed completely, and what care will be given to the overseeing of this plant’s closure, ethically and environmentally? Who is paying for the cleanups and disposal of the coal ash from plants in Georgia, and will it be stored safely in lined facilities where it is unlikely to pose a risk to people and waterways?
About a hundred citizens attended the Coastal Listening Session in Savannah on October 16, it was evident that the people of Savannah-Chatham County see no good reason for the price hike. They question how sincere Georgia Power is in promises to move away from fossil fuels, and how much research and resources are being put towards greener, cleaner forms of energy. Concerned about the dangers of nuclear power, many citizens hope for a near future in which alternatives like wind and solar become our primary sources of energy. Both commissioners in attendance from District 2 (Tim Echols) and District 5 (Tricia Pridemore) were eager to point out available programs to assist qualified customers, like seniors with fixed income and lower-income households, in lowering and helping to pay their energy bills.
Written public comments are not being accepted, but you can choose to speak at a hearing. Two important PSC public hearings where you can voice your opinion on this matter are set for November 4 and November 25 at 8:00 am at 244 Washington St. SW, Atlanta, GA.
If you cannot make it to Atlanta on those days, you can contact your representatives at the Public Service Commission with questions, concerns, and comments. If you email them, make sure to include “For Official Use: Georgia Power Rate Increase” in the subject. Representative from District 2 Tim Echols assures us that these will be read and addressed at the public hearings. PSC votes on this issue on December 4, 2019.
Contact:
District 1 Jason Shaw jshaw@psc.state.ga.us 404-463-6745
District 2 Tim Echols techols@psc.state.ga.us 404-463-0214
District 3 Chuck Eaton ceaton@psc.stae.ga.us 404-657-2020
District 4 Bubba McDonald Lmcdonald@psc.state.ga.us 404-463-4260
District 5 Tricia Pridemore tpridemore@psc.state.ga.us 404-657-4574
For more info and to sign up to speak at a public meeting, visit our friends at www.fighthehike.org or sign the Harambee House petition by clicking here.