Advocates call for faster climate action as Georgia Power hearings begin

Originally published by WABE

This coverage is made possible through a partnership with WABE and Grist, a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future.

As long as it works, a lot of people don’t think much about electricity beyond paying the bill. Plug something in, flip a switch, it turns on. But how that power is generated can have big consequences — for people’s power bills and for the planet. 

There are lots of ways to make electricity: burning coal, gas, oil or wood; harnessing the power of the sun, the wind or running water; or using nuclear reactions. 

Georgia Power, the state’s largest utility, uses all of them. And beginning next week, state regulators will hold a series of hearings to decide which of those sources to increase and which to phase out, laying out where most Georgians will get their electricity for the next 20 years. 

“We have a diversified generation system in Georgia that gives us reliable, affordable and clean energy down the road,” said Bubba McDonald, one of the five Public Service Commissioners that will have the final say over Georgia Power’s Integrated Resource Plan, or IRP.

The utility plans for the future

The biggest changes Georgia Power wants to make are shutting down coal and adding solar. By 2030, the company plans to get nearly a third of its electricity from the sun, up from just 11% this year. 

“We are showing how we are growing the level of renewable energy in our state and responding to the fast-changing needs of our customers while also protecting the environment and the communities we serve,” said Georgia Power President and CEO Chris Womack.

Renewable energy — like solar and wind — is key, because burning coal, gas or oil creates the greenhouse gasses that cause climate change. Scientists say people everywhere have to quickly and sharply cut down on those energy sources to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

Despite the new solar, Bryan Jacob of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy [SACE] said this plan isn’t good enough.

“The bad news is that Georgia Power has proposed as much fossil gas resource in this IRP as they did renewables,” he said.

While the proportion of renewables is going up, the company still plans to get a lot of its power from gas in 2030 — just as it does now. Jacob’s group is one of several hoping to change that.

Georgia Power’s plan is essentially a first draft. Before the Public Service Commission approves it, they’ll hear from environmental and clean energy organizations, consumer groups, companies that use a lot of energy and even a gas company.

Advocates push for changes

Along with calling for more energy from renewable sources, groups intervening in the IRP process plan to push for more energy efficiency programs and to raise other questions, not just about environmental concerns, but also about the costs to Georgia Power customers.

“While energy efficiency continues to be a least-cost resource, the utility is failing to pursue energy saving opportunities at levels that would bring the greatest value to customers,” said Forest Bradley-Wright of SACE.

The idea is that it’s cheaper to save energy than it is to make it. Georgia Power customers can lower their power bills by making changes that help them use less electricity: better insulation, more efficient heating and cooling systems, smart thermostats.

The utility’s proposal does call energy efficiency “a priority resource” and seeks to extend current energy efficiency pilot programs, but advocates said the company should do more.

“Georgia Power continues to lag national and regional peers in annual efficiency savings, which average two to three times higher than Georgia Power’s delivery,” Bradley-Wright said.

The power company’s plan also calls for more energy storage, which is vital for using more renewables. Solar farms, for instance, only generate electricity when the sun is shining, so it’s important to store the extra energy for use when it’s dark or cloudy.

According to the proposal, Georgia Power aims to own and operate 1,000 megawatts of storage capacity by 2030.

“Georgia Power wants to do it all themselves. So the question is, if you do need all of this storage, how much is that going to cost? And would the cost for doing that be cheaper if you allow third party non-incumbents to develop that?” said Katie Southworth of Southface Institute, a sustainability organization that’s intervening in the IRP.

Southworth also raised questions beyond climate concerns about Georgia Power’s plans to keep relying heavily on gas. She pointed to volatile natural gas prices on the global market — a concern in the headlines lately due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — and to problems with gas-powered electricity in Texas following a devastating winter storm.

“Continuing to beat the drum that [gas] is reliable and affordable, will always show up, you know, we’re seeing in real time that in the last few years, that has not been the case,” Southworth said.

Local governments get involved

For the first time this year, cities and counties that have made their own clean energy commitments are getting involved in the IRP process, too. Atlanta, Savannah, Athens, Decatur and DeKalb, and Fulton Counties are all intervening together. 

“There’s only so much that the government, the local governments can do,” said DeKalb County Commissioner Ted Terry. He said local governments like his have the power to make some changes, like adding “our own electric vehicles, solar installations on government property, on fire stations, on libraries, on wastewater treatment plant lands.”

But Georgia Power is the only electricity provider in most of the state. If cities and counties can’t buy enough renewable energy from the utility, they can’t reach their goals.

Terry is optimistic about the process, because Georgia Power’s parent company, Southern Company, has announced the same clean energy goal as DeKalb County: net zero emissions by 2050.

“We all agree on the goal. Now we now need to get to the plan,” Terry said.

The PSC has a lot of power to shape that plan, which is updated every three years. Much of Georgia Power’s explosive increase in solar in recent years happened because the commission called for it. 

Several rounds of hearings are scheduled on Georgia Power’s Integrated Resource Plan over the next few months. The PSC will make its final decision at the end of July.

DeKalb Commission approves first installment in $2.3 billion in water-sewer investments

DEKALB COUNTY, GA (March 22, 2022) -– The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners voted to approve a $1.28 billion investment (2022-2025) into the county’s aging water and sewage system during the Board of Commissioners meeting on Tuesday, March 22.

Monies will go towards several Capital Investment Programs ($2.3 bn through 2029) to repair and maximize water and sewage efficiency county-wide. The ratepayer-funded investment will take place over the course of the next nine years in the form of yearly water and sewer bill rate increases. The first, a 6% increase, will go into effect in August 2022.

CEO Michael Thurmond recommended rate increases as a last resort to address long-standing issues during a special Board meeting held Thursday, March 3. Super District 6 Commissioner Ted Terry said those issues and years of neglect have stymied economic growth, new housing opportunities and harmed the county’s natural environment.

By voting in favor of these investments, Terry said the Commissioners are able to support the rebuilding and long-term maintenance of these vital pieces of infrastructure that will serve residents, businesses, schools and institutions for the next 50 years. Prolonging this funding would lead to larger costs down the road.

“In short, water matters, water is life and no longer is the ‘sewer can’ getting kicked down the road. Today we begin to turn a dream of a cleaner, more sustainable DeKalb with opportunity for all, into a reality,” Commissioner Ted Terry said.   

These new investments come with assurances from both CEO Thurmond and the Department of Watershed Management that solutions will be established to create a more equitable and sustainable water and sewer system. Terry, who pushed for a system that would avoid overburdening the economically vulnerable, emphasized that while some areas of DeKalb are seeing an economic rebound, many are still struggling. 

“We need a more equitable water and sewer system that recognizes historically marginalized communities that have suffered more environmental and economic harm than DeKalb County as a whole,” Terry said.

An intentional focus will be placed on these vulnerable communities and customer billing transparency in the form of the following initiatives:

  • Care and Conserve Program – A $5 million investment courtesy of American Rescue Plan funding, passed by the Board of Commissioner,  will go towards plumbing and leak line repair, as well as conversation programs for qualified residents. Over the next two years, DeKalb County will partner with The Nehemiah Project, a local community development corporation, to repair leaks for those most susceptible to these problems, saving residents hundreds of dollars on their bills.
  • Real-Time Billing – Customers can log into their DeKalb Water and Sewage account and see billing updates and alerts in real-time, allowing all to monitor their water and sewage usage and detect possible leaks. Coming in 2023, a new interface will debut, enhancing this existing service with more accurate data and refined ease of use.  
  • Maximize Sustainability and Tertiary Revenue – Additional monetary savings can be made by addressing the efficiency in operations of Department of Watershed Management facilities. Terry said many facilities, especially the Scott Candler Water Treatment Plant and Polebridge Wastewater Treatment plants, have abundant acreage to install solar panels, generating clean, renewable energy while providing water bill relief.

DeKalb County Board of Commissioners Passes Ukraine Resolution 

DEKALB COUNTY, GA (March 8, 2022)  -– The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners voted to support the people of Ukraine, passing a resolution allying the county with the Eastern European nation during the Board of Commissioners meeting held on Tuesday, March 8.  The resolution was introduced last week by Super District 6 Commissioner Ted Terry, who sought to solidify the county’s stance as a global community against unjust conflict.

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Standing in opposition to the ongoing conflict in Eastern Europe, Super District 6 Commissioner Ted Terry introduced a resolution that firmly cemented DeKalb County’s support of Ukraine and its people during the Board of Commissioners meeting held on Tuesday, March 1. 

Terry stated that as a global community, it’s vital that DeKalb take a stand against the unjust and unwarranted attacks against Ukraine, which has led to one of the worst humanitarian crises Europe has seen since World War II. 

Commissioner Terry’s Official Statement:

“Today we reaffirmed our solidarity with the Ukrainian people and recommitted to our stance as a welcoming and compassionate county. The world matters to DeKalb County,” Terry said. “More than half a million men, women, and children have already been displaced in Ukraine. It’s more important than any point in modern history for us to continue to shine our lamp beside the golden door, to the tempest-tost, persecuted families.” 

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DeKalb County Super District 6 Commissioner Ted Terry Casts Opposing Vote for Proposed 2022 Budget

DEKALB COUNTY, GA (February 22, 2022)  -– District 6 Commissioner Ted Terry voted to oppose DeKalb County’s 2022 proposed budget during Tuesday’s Board of Commissioners meeting on Tuesday, February 22. 

Terry stated that while the current budget proposal did include much-deserved bonuses for police and fire employees, the same effort should be extended to other frontline and essential workers, including sanitation, water and sewer employees. Terry also stated that more time should be allowed for taxpayers to provide feedback and input on the 2022 budget.

Commissioner Terry’s Official Statement:

“Our budget is more than a fiscal document, it’s a moral document. While our police and fire employees are receiving a much-deserved frontline bonus for their work throughout this pandemic –– our sanitation workers, and our water and sewer workers are not.

I know the people doing these jobs. I’ve been to the water treatment plant, the sewer treatment facility, and the landfill to talk to the managers and workers and I’m here to say: they are frontline, essential employees. The jobs they do are critical to our county, and we have a moral obligation to demonstrate that through our words and through our actions. By not including frontline bonuses for all of our essential frontline workers, the budget put forward today failed to achieve that.

I look forward to working with my colleagues over the coming weeks and months to put forward budget amendments that address this discrepancy.”

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DeKalb County nixes plan to end marijuana testing of job applicants

Commissioners in a suburban Atlanta county rejected an official’s proposal to drop marijuana testing for some job applicants.

DeKalb County Commissioner Ted Terry last week proposed ending the tests.

But WAGA-TV reports the plan died in a committee meeting after no other commissioners supported it.

Terry’s plan wouldn’t have applied to police officers, firefighters or equipment operators. But he said his plan would have ended testing for about 2,000 of DeKalb County’s 6,000 positions.

“This was an effort to change an antiquated policy an outdated, war-on-drugs policy, that is unjust, unfair,” Terry said.

He argued that with marijuana becoming legal in some places, Georgia’s fourth most populous county should discontinue the requirement. He also argued that the policy could deter some job applicants.

“It also puts DeKalb County government at a disadvantage when it comes to attracting the best and brightest employees,” Terry said.

But others oppose the plan.

Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson said marijuana is still illegal in Georgia. In a statement, she noted that marijuana can impair “judgment, motor coordination, and reaction time.” She said employees under the influence of marijuana or alcohol may not be able to do their jobs.

In 2017, when Terry was the mayor of Clarkston in DeKalb County, the city lowered fines for those caught with less than a half-ounce of marijuana from $660 to $75.

Terry said he will continue trying to change fellow commissioners’ “outdated views.”

DeKalb County Continues to Offer $100 Gift Cards for COVID-19 Vaccinations for Children Ages Five and Older

DECATUR, Ga.—DeKalb County Commissioners Ted Terry and Jeff Rader sponsored a vaccination event where 426 adults and children were vaccinated against COVID-19 on Saturday, Dec. 18, at the Center for Pan Asian Community Services in Atlanta. 

Everyone who got vaccinated received a $100 prepaid cash card. DeKalb County is the only county in the state giving $100 to everyone ages 5 and up.

“The turnout today has been tremendous,” Commissioner Terry said. “We’re seeing a shift and acceptance in the community where more families want to get vaccinated. It’s a real glimmer of hope.” 

“We know $100 incentives make a difference for people and can help ensure that if you get sick after getting your shot, and you miss a day of work or don’t have childcare, that extra money in your pocket can lessen the anxiety about getting vaccinated,” Commissioner Rader said.

“The rain didn’t stop our communities from coming out today,” said Lily Pabian, of We Love Buford Highway, one of the community organizers of the event. “With heart and help from dozens of volunteers, we served over 2,000 people with over 12,000 pounds of fresh foods, toys, Santa pics, holiday cheer, and COVID-19 and flu vaccines for anyone who wanted one.” 

Vaccinations were scheduled to be administered from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., but the event was extended to 4:30 p.m. due to the tremendous turnout. 

“We gave 83 children and 58 adults their first shot,” said Dr. Omar Aziz, of Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE). “Over 250 got boosters and 34 people got second shots. We’re seeing a real spike in attendance when incentives are offered. We are thrilled DeKalb County is offering this opportunity for its residents.”

DeKalb County, the DeKalb County Board of Health, CORE, International Rescue Committee, and the Steed Society are partnering with over 60 community organizations to coordinate, promote and support vaccine events in “low-vax” areas.

DeKalb County Continues to Offer $100 Gift Cards for COVID-19 Vaccinations for Children Ages Five and Older, 

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“Smaller events at trusted community locations create safe spaces for people who are hesitant about getting vaccinated. It’s important to offer education, translators and time to get questions answered by respected leaders,” said Munson Steed, chair of the Steed Society.

Commissioners Rader and Terry assisted in bringing the incentives to the event. 

“Our goal is to continue these smaller, incentivized community events throughout DeKalb County until we have shots in arms—and boosters—for all of DeKalb’s diverse residents,” said Commissioner Terry.                               

Members of the Hispanic, Latino and Asian communities made up the majority of holiday festival attendees. Fundacion Adelante Guatemala, CareSource of Georgia, Chamblee Charter High School, Cross Keys High School, Oglethorpe University, Los Vecinos de Buford Highway and City of Brookhaven were all partners in the holiday event.

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Full resolution photos, videos and interviews can be found at this link. 

DeKalb ordinance would mandate safe storage of guns

By Tyler Estep, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A DeKalb County commissioner has introduced a local ordinance that would mandate the safe and secure storage of firearms, a measure he said would help address preventable gun deaths and stem the tide of violent crime.

Commissioner Ted Terry said he’s been working on the legislation for quite a while. But Tuesday morning’s public reveal came just a week after a Michigan teen allegedly used a gun purchased by his father to kill four classmates and wound several others at Oxford High School in suburban Detroit.

“This is a policy that works,” Terry said. “We have to do it across the country, but we’re not waiting. We’re taking action now.”

Terry’s commission district covers the western half of DeKalb, including parts of the city of Atlanta. Several other local officials — including state Sen. Elena Parent, Atlanta school board chairman Jason Esteves and incoming Atlanta City Council president Doug Shipman — joined him at the press conference announcing his proposal.

So did representatives from Moms Demand Action, a national advocacy group that pushes for stronger gun laws.

As written, the DeKalb ordinance would make it unlawful to store firearms where “a minor, at-risk person or prohibited person” could easily gain access. It would require that guns either be stored in a locked container or “secured by a device or mechanism, other than the firearm safety, designed to render a firearm temporarily inoperable.”

Terry said that, in the absence of state or federal action, putting such an ordinance in place on the local level would play a part in addressing “the millions of children who are at risk from accessing unsecured firearms, or the hundreds of thousands of guns that are stolen out of vehicles that are funneled into the black market and used in violent crimes.”

The draft ordinance currently calls for a $500 fine for first-time violators. Options on the local level are limited and Terry said that, as much as anything, it’s about providing a basis for educating gun owners about the potential ramifications if they don’t properly secure their firearms.

“These are not radical acts,” said Liliana Bakthiari, who was recently elected to represent Atlanta City Council District 5. “This is common sense gun legislation.”

Parent — a Democrat whose state Senate district includes parts of the Avondale Estates, Brookhaven and Decatur — decried the fact that similar legislation she’s introduced at the state level has gone nowhere.

But the idea may be gaining steam on the municipal level.

Bakthiari said she and future colleagues are interested in proposing similar legislation in Atlanta. Esteves, the Atlanta school board chair, said that body adopted a resolution Monday night committing themselves to increase efforts at educating local parents about safe firearm storage.

Khalid Kamau, the mayor-elect of the city of South Fulton, was also at Tuesday’s press conference and said he plans to introduce his own safe storage ordinance once he takes office.

Terry’s draft ordinance, meanwhile, was formally introduced at a DeKalb County commission meeting later Tuesday morning. It will go through the commission’s normal committee process and won’t be discussed in earnest until the new year.

“The Georgia legislature has pre-empted almost everything when it comes to gun control, but is silent on safe storage legislation,” Terry said. “We welcome a legal challenge because it’s important to have those debates. But in the meantime we’re going to move forward.”

Leaders take on gun safety, secure gun storage at the local level

Originally published in The Champion

Members of local school boards, city councils, county commissions, and other leaders and elected officials gathered in Decatur recently to discuss gun safety and what changes can be made at the local level to ensure guns are stored properly.

DeKalb County Commissioner Ted Terry was joined by State Senator Elena Parent, Atlanta Public School Board Chair Jason Esteves, Atlanta City Council President-Elect Doug Shipman, Atlanta City Council-Elect Liliana Bakhtiari, South Fulton Mayor-Elect Khalid Kamau and members of the Moms Demand Action organization to announce their push for legislation and resolutions at all levels of government to require safe storage of guns.

“The [recent] Oxford High School shooting in Oakland County, Michigan highlighted the increased urgency to pass common sense gun safety measures. Police involved in this case say that the shooter used a gun he got from his parent’s nightstand which was unsecured. This tragedy and countless others we’ve endured are avoidable and we can start here at the local level by passing secure gun storage policies immediately,” said Terry.

While Terry said an introductory draft of local legislation for the proper storage of guns has been shared with DeKalb County’s public safety committee for review, Esteves announced that Atlanta Public Schools (APS) passed a resolution that requires school board members and the superintendent to work with organizations, families, and the city of Atlanta to “communicate and educate stakeholders on the great responsibility and need of safe storage of guns.”

“While as a school board we can’t pass gun legislation, we can certainly do what we can to ensure our parents and community members know and understand their responsibilities as gun owners,” said Esteves.

Bakhtiari and Shipman, both recently elected in the Nov. 30 runoff, said voters expressed concerns with gun safety and the uptick in gun violence throughout metro-Atlanta during their time campaigning.

“During this election, on door-steps, in forums and in small groups, people talked a lot about wanting to do something new to address our public safety issues,” said Shipman. “They would ask me about how we could do something about the proliferation of guns and gun violence. That question came up very often. I am excited to see that across counties, cities and school districts, we’re trying to address what voters have demanded in this past election, which is ‘find solutions and find new ways of dealing with this problem.’”

Terry said he expects a discussion about the proposed safe gun storage legislation in DeKalb County to occur by the end of the year. He said he has spoken with county commissioners and local leaders in Columbus, Macon, Savannah, Chatham, Athens, Clayton, Cobb, Gwinett, Newton, and Rockdale counties, all of whom “were interested in taking action locally in the absence of action taken at the state and federal level.”

“There might be legal challenges ahead but that’s OK, […] and we’re prepared to have that debate, but today, we have local leaders here in metro-Atlanta and across Georgia standing up and taking action,” Terry said.

According to Moms Demand Action and Everytown, two nonprofits that advocate against gun violence and are working in collaboration with APS and DeKalb County officials, gun owners can make their homes and communities safer by storing their guns locked, unloaded, and separate from ammunition.

Learn more about proper gun storage, secure gun storage devices and more at www.everytown.org/solutions/responsible-gun-storage.