ATLANTA — Today, government officials from the city of Atlanta and DeKalb County announced the issuance of land disturbance permits and minor changes to official plans for a public safety training facility in the Weelaunee (South River) Forest.
In response, Sierra Club Georgia Chapter Interim Director Gina Webber issued the following statement:
“Today’s announcement was described by government officials as a compromise, but all we heard was more of the same. Instead of listening to their constituents, city officials adopted recommendations from a committee run by the Atlanta Police Foundation. This is not community engagement. Moving the pieces around or pledging more greenspace in the project’s footprint does not change the fundamental disagreement over this unnecessary facility: The forest is too important to the health of our communities to destroy even a portion of it. The Sierra Club Georgia Chapter reiterates its call for city officials to cancel the lease with the Atlanta Police Foundation and protect the entire South River Forest.”
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About the Sierra Club Georgia Chapter
The Sierra Club Georgia Chapter is the largest grassroots environmental organization in the state, with more than 75,000 members and supporters. The Chapter supports a robust outings program and has active committees working on forest and coastal protection, transit expansion, and clean energy. For more information, visit sierraclub.org/georgia.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit sierraclub.org.
**Media Contact**
Ricky Leroux, Senior Communications & Policy Coordinator, Sierra Club Georgia Chapter
404-607-1262 ext. 234 | ricky.leroux@sierraclub.org