Sierra Club Centennial Group Members & Friends

Join us for our next meeting on Thursday, September 5th from 7:00-8:30pm
The Future of Transit for a Sustainable Cobb
Meeting to inform and support Cobb Transit Referendum.
Panel with Matt Stigall - Cobb For Transit Organization
Curt Thompson - Chair of Sierra Georgia Chapter Executive Committee
Jason Lathbury - Sierra Club Georgia Transportation Committee

This meeting will be both IN-PERSON at LIFE UNIVERSITY and ON-LINE via Zoom 

Life University Graduate & Undergraduate Studies (Bldg 9 on Campus Map) Rm 119, 1250 Life’s Way Marietta or on-line via Zoom. We recommend you use the large parking area M on the Barclay Circle side of the building at 1269 Barclay Circle. See the green Sierra Club signs on the Barclay Circle entrance to parking area M and follow them to the building and meeting room.

 Social and Refreshments at 7:00pm + The ZOOM meeting will begin at 7:30pm

Please Signup/RSVP and specify in-person or Zoom on-line attendance at Future of Transit for a Sustainable Cobbs.  We need to know in-person attendance for food planning. Come at 6:30 if you can help setup.  If you need parking and access to the building for people with disabilities contact: lynnwalston22@yahoo.com

Other News, Events and Outings
 

Sierra Club Centennial Group has received an Adopt a Stream Award for our partnership with Life University.  Life University (Life U) takes immense pride in their collaboration with the Sierra Club Centennial Group. Our group was honored with the Adopt-A-Stream Award from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources at the Rivers Alive Awards Luncheon.  Great thanks to Life U’s Dr. Deidre Meigs for allowing the Centennial Group to meet at Life U. and collaborate in environmental issues.  Read about our collaboration with Life University at:  About Our Award

The Upper Etowah River Alliance (UERA). The Upper Etowah River Watershed encompasses 610 square miles or 390,400 acres.  It includes parts of five counties — Lumpkin, Pickens, Dawson, Forsyth, and Cherokee — and over 100 tributaries, including Shoal, Amicalola, Yellow, Setting Down, Long Swamp, & Sharp Mountain creeks. The Etowah River begins near Dahlonega and runs 98 miles until it reaches Lake Allatoona. 

September News, Events and Outings

MyVoter has access to apply for absentee ballots, early voting in-person info is on website now. Also voter registration, change of address, etc. deadline is Oct. 7.

My Voter has shown some long-time voters as “in-active”. We recommend that you confirm your status before November, even if you have been a regular voter.

Birds Georgia Fall Fly Away Festival with Birding Tours throughout September

Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy September Events– See CNPC_Events

September Events for The River Line Historic Area volunteers include Nickajack Creek water sampling and cemetery restoration.

See:  The River Line September Calendar    Do you have leadership ambition to advance environmental stewardship in SE Cobb County? If so, contact Roberta Cook at RiverLineGA@gmail.com at The River Line Historic Area nonprofit to learn about an Executive Director position opportunity.

Chattahoochee Nature Center Weekend September Canoe Outings Saturdays & Sundays.  Registration/fee at: Canoe Trips

September 13^th Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy Cochran Shoals Community Hike with Birds Georgia (formerly Georgia Audubon) 

Info/Signup: Bird Hike

September 14 East Cobber Parade and Festival.  Parade at 10am, tabling begins at 12 to mid-afternoon. Sierra Centennial Group plans to have a table at the event.  Please email Lynn Walston at lynnwalston22@yahoo.com if you can assist with the parade or at our table.

September 14^th Science Gallery Atlanta debuts Resilient Earth, at their new Northlake Mall location.  Immersive exhibit showcases sustainability for attendees to “recognize existing contributions to the health of our planet while discovering your own path forward to a more resilient future”.  Exhibit runs through March 2025.

September 15 Chattahoochee Nature Center Farm Fair: an immersive, family-friendly event centered around local, sustainable food practices. Farm Fair seeks to cultivate empathy and appreciation for the natural world while embracing self-sufficiency and organic, sustainable food practices.  Vendors will be on-site to educate guests on the importance of biodiversity and traditional agriculture.

September 28^th Community Health Fair in Marietta  Keep Your Health on Track: Community Health Fair – Larry Bell Park in Marietta.  Details at our Centennial Meeting this Thursday.  Email Lynn Walston  at lynnwalston22@yahoo.com if you can assist with our Sierra Club Centennial table.

Currently scheduled Sierra Outings

Outings can be announced at any time and often fill up quickly. To receive email notice of Sierra Club hikes

as they are announced, visit SierraClubGeorgiaOutings and click Sign up for our Outings Email List.

If an outing shows as full, get on the waiting list as there are sometimes cancellations that allow you to attend.

September 21st Manchester Mill Red Trail hike at Sweetwater Creek Park    Info/signup at:  RedTrailHike

September 28^th Appalachian Trail hike Woody Gap to Lake Winfield Scott (using shuttle). Info/signup at: AppalachianTrailFromWoodyGap

Save the Birds!! Millions of birds die every year from building collisions & confusion from metro-lights during their nighttime migration. Turn off unnecessary lights during migration seasons: March 15 – May 31 & August 15 – Nov 15^th.  More info at:  Lights Out Georgia

Read-up and comment on Cobb County Transit Planning at: Cobb Transportation

The Upper Etowah River Alliance (UERA). The Upper Etowah River Watershed encompasses 610 square miles or 390,400 acres. It includes parts of five counties — Lumpkin, Pickens, Dawson, Forsyth, and Cherokee — and over 100 tributaries, including Shoal, Amicalola, Yellow, Setting Down, Long Swamp, and Sharp Mountain creeks. The river begins near Dahlonega and runs 98 miles until it reaches Lake Allatoona. 

Outings can be announced at any time and often fill up quickly. To receive email notice of Sierra Club hikes as they are announced, visit Sierra Club Georgia Outings and click Sign up for our Outings Email List.

Other news:

Plant Bowen (near Cartersville) AP-1 Coal Ash Permit Draft has been Released! Details at:  PlantBowenCoalAshInfo  Also more info at Why It Matters

Georgia Power wants to close the largest coal ash site in Georgia by installing a liner and capping an ash pit that sits on top of unstable karst, which is prone to sinkholes.  In 2002, a four acre wide, 30 foot deep sinkhole opened up underneath Plant Bowen’s coal ash pit.

2.25 million gallons of toxic coal ash leaked into Euharlee Creek which flows into the Etowah River.  The Etowah River passes Cartersville and the Etowah Indian Mounds then flows to Rome where it meets the Oostanaula River  and forms the Coosa River.

After the spill, arsenic levels rose to 1250 parts per billion, exceeding federal drinking water standards by 120 times. Downstream drinking water intakes were forced to suspend operation. Leaving the coal ash in place on unstable ground at Plant Bowen puts our water and health at risk.

Urgent Issue – Okefenokee Twin Pines Mining proposal:  U.S. Army Corps of Engineers decided the area where Twin Pines wants to set up its mine is no longer under its jurisdiction. Essentially, new federal rules issued by the Trump administration mean the proposed project area is no longer a federally protected wetland.

This means Twin Pines no longer needs federal approval to get started, so it’s up Georgia officials (and us to voice our concerns). There are still several state permits the company needs from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD). Chemical company Chemours (a Dupont spinoff) is a potential buyer of the Twin Pines mine project and its products. Help us pressure them to publicly oppose the project.  Sierra Club Georgia keeps an update on efforts to prevent the mine at: Sierra Club Georgia Okefenokee

The Georgia Water Coalition has a way for folks to send a message to Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp asking him to take action to protect the Okefenokee. The Georgia EPD director is appointed to the job by the governor, so we’re asking Gov. Kemp to get involved.  Click here to send a message to Gov. Kemp urging him to protect the Okefenokee.

Transit Planning in Cobb County:  Please provide feedback to the Cobb County Comprehensive Transportation Plan (CTP). The CTP is a series of county transportation projects that will be considered for future implementation, up to 30 years.  Make sure to get involved by having your opinion heard!   Take the on-line Cobb Transit Survey at:   Cobb Transit Survey

Georgia Legislative resources:

Georgia Water Coalition Dirty Dozen publishes the list as a call to action, highlighting the worst offenses to Georgia's water - offenses that are the consequences of an under-funded state environmental agency and a lack of political will to enforce laws that protect our water, land, air, and people. Check out water-protecting action items from Protect Georgia

Drawdown Georgia– Drawdown is that point in the future when levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere stop climbing and start to steadily decline.  Drawdown is working on Climate Change solutions sponsored by Ray Anderson Foundation.  Join them and be an early mover in bringing climate solutions home.  Drawdown Georgia is the first, state-centered effort to crowdsolve for climate change, with 20, high-impact solutions that are tailored to Georgia’s unique natural, economic, and social resources. See: Draw down Georgia 

See our Centennial Facebook page and Georgia Sierra Club Meetup page.  

Cobb 4 Transit revamped & launched: The Centennial Group Sierra Club is supporting the launch of Cobb 4 Transit, a new citizen-led initiative to bring transit to Cobb County, and continue to highlight the county's plans for future transit initiatives. Learn more here: www.cobb4transit.org. 

Click here to join the Sierra Club today!

We meet on the first Thursday of each month to host a variety of programs related to our environmental goals of resource conservation and wilderness preservation. We also conduct free outdoor trips. Members and nonmembers are welcome!  The Sierra Club Centennial Group is part of the Sierra Club Georgia Chapter and serves Northwest Metro Atlanta. For more information about the Sierra Club Georgia Chapter.

The Centennial Group of the Georgia Chapter of the Sierra Club was organized in 1992, the one hundredth anniversary year of the national Sierra Club. Our members from Cobb, Cherokee, and North Fulton counties volunteer to educate, enable, and encourage our fellow citizens to protect Georgia's environment "for our families and our future".  We meet on the first Thursday of most months at Life University. We host a variety of programs relating to our goals and our appreciation of Georgia's natural beauty and resources. We also host free outings for members and nonmembers.