The City of Brunswick is suing Honeywell and Georgia Power over pollutants on city property that allegedly came from the companies’ nearby industrial activity beginning in the 1950s. A federal Superfund site established in 1996 to clean up the pollutants does not include city property.

The waste on site is mainly a result of leaking underground pipes, said Rachael Thompson, executive director of the watchdog group Glynn Environmental Coalition. The EPD determined that the slow movement of groundwater in the area and the natural breakdown of the leaked chemicals meant that continued monitoring but no additional treatment would be sufficient to keep the waste contained on the site.

Rachael Thompson, executive director of Glynn Environmental Coalition, offered a comment on behalf of her organization.

“We believe that our comments can be summarized with one word — finally,” she said. “In 2020, we stood before you and asked that once and for all the EPD hold Hercules and Pinova accountable for the damage they have done in this community. And though we believe there’s still more to be done … we can say once and for all that something is being done.”

“All the state staff will be here, and representatives from Hercules and Pinova will be here,” said Rachael Thompson, executive director of the Glynn Environmental Coalition. “We want to make sure that the community also can turn out and share their opinion and their concerns.”

Presented by Green Scene of Coastal Georgia, the movie begins at 2p.m. After the movie, light refreshments will be served durning a question-and-answer session with right whale experts. The Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve is co-sponsoring the movie's viewing, and the events's organizers include Keep Golden Isles Beautiful, One Hundred Miles, the Altamaha Riverkeeper, the Glynn Environmental Coalition and the state department of natural resources' coastal resource division.

Hercules’ efforts to clean up three superfund sites in Brunswick are moving at “an accelerated pace,” representatives of the company told city commissioners Wednesday. Mark Johnson, with the local branch of the Gilbert Harrell law firm, and Greg Rouch, a consultant on industrial environmental issues with GeoSyntec, gave the presentation on behalf of Hercules. Roush said Hercules opened the a pine resin products plant the 1920s, well before the environmental regulations that exist today to prevent pollution.

In March 2022, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the decision of Southern District of Georgia, which had dismissed for lack of standing the suit of environmental plaintiffs regarding the fill of a wetland under the Clean Water Act (CWA). Glynn Environmental Coalition, Inc., et al. v. Sea Island Acquisition, LLC, 26 F.4th 1235 (11th Cir. 2022). 

Nearly 90 million gallons of rainwater fall on the Georgia Coast every year.

It’s no surprise Brunswick — a coastal town and no stranger to king tides — experiences frequent flooding, but Jess Brown, a stormwater specialist with the University of Georgia’s Marine Extension office, says there’s something everyone can do to mitigate its effects. 

Speaking at an event on Friday hosted by the Glynn Environmental Coalition in the backroom bar at Reid’s Apothecary, Brown told those assembled that two issues are at play when discussing stormwater runoff: quantity and quality.  

​

​

City residents got a closer look on Thursday at plans to build a pedestrian and bike path over the marsh along U.S. 17.

Alice Keyes with the environmental advocacy group One Hundred Miles spoke with Michael DeMell of Terracon, an environmental consulting firm, while a dozen or so people milled about and spoke with city officials and planners.

​

​

​

Rachael Thompson, executive director of GEC, said this year’s local events will provide tangible ways to promote this cause. Opportunities to celebrate Earth Day will include an Eat For A Cause fundraiser at Broomelli Boys Pizzeria, a parade, a film screening, a picnic at Twitty Park and the first official Earth Day Brunswick event.

“We are excited to take part in the National Water Dance again and to work with Core Dance from Atlanta and Glynn Environmental Coalition here locally to make this happen in our community,” said GIAH executive director Heather Heath.

To create this film, he’s enlisted the help of Glynn Environmental Coalition, and last week he and the organization’s executive director, Rachael Thompson, took a flight with SouthWings, a nonprofit conservation organization that connects groups and individuals with volunteer pilots. Ghioto’s flight went around the perimeter of Glynn County so he could get an aerial view of the four local Superfund sites.

Frank Anastasi, community technical advisor with SCA Associates and third-party consultant for Glynn Environmental Coalition, updated city and county commissioners Thursday on the latest actions taken at Glynn County’s superfund sites. He gave a similar presentation Friday during a community event hosted by GEC.

Rachael Thompson with the Glynn Environmental Coalition said Kirkland cleared the land of trees — to make room for the wood pellets — without seeking approval from the local government.  “Despite this, the property owners have continued to operate a light industrial operation since mid-May,” Thompson said.

Many thanks to One Hundred Miles environmental group, Glynn Environmental Coalition and all of the Riverkeepers for the work you all do to protect our Golden Isles and her surrounding waterways.

There weren't many citizens at the meeting and Rachael Thompson, executive director of the Glynn Environmental Coaltition, said she understands why. Many

of those who have reason to complain aren't comfortable talking to the company. "The community in the past has been concerned about backlash," Thompson said. "People who compain want anonymity, and they cant't get that here."

​

The Glynn Environmental Coalition and Center for a Sustainable Coast, along with local resident Jane Fraser, sued real estate developer Sea Island Acquisition in 2019, claiming that the developer’s move to fill nearly half an acre of wetland on Georgia's St. Simons Island was not compliant with a permit issued under the Clean Water Act by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Sea level rise is accelerating, according to a report released Feb. 15 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It finds coastal communities can expect more flooding and worse storm surges in the coming decades as sea levels rise, on average, 10 to 12 inches by 2050.

Rachael Thompson, Executive Director of the Glynn Environmental Coalition, stated, “Our joint appeal emphasizes that we are strong advocates for environmental organizations having the standing to pursue enforcement regarding ongoing violations of the Clean Water Act on behalf of our members, local citizens who live adjacent to, enjoy, and recreate in our wetlands.” She continued, “The Glynn Environmental Coalition functions as a watchdog organization since our founding in 1990 and we are committed to our mission of assuring a clean environment and healthy economy for citizens of coastal Georgia.”

The litigation process began in 2019 when GEC and the center filed an intent to file a lawsuit. Receiving no response from Sea Island, the two filed a lawsuit in April 2019 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia claiming Sea Island was in violation of the Clean Water Act when it filled wetlands and sodded over an area, which they claim has also affected the Dunbar Creek and Twitty Park areas.

“Some of the modeling that they have done shows that the groundwater contamination basically is under control, and it’s not migrating, and they have what we call a downward trend,” said Rachael Thompson, executive director of the Glynn Environmental Coalition, which requested the public meeting. “Basically the levels of contamination are decreasing naturally over time.”

U.S. District Judge J. Randal Hall ruled last year that the Glynn Environmental Coalition and the Center for a Sustainable Coast failed to show they suffered any environmental injury based on recreational or aesthetic harm.

Glynn Environmental Coalition representative Rachel Thompson said that her organization was not confident the proposed SPLOST would pass because of unfinished projects from the past SPLOST and due to the lack of a county manager. She said getting a county manager hired is “crucial” to the SPLOST

The comments I presented on behalf of the Glynn Environmental Coalition were thorough and addressed general county issues and concerns around a 2022 SPLOST. The county has a lot of work to do to build community trust and confidence in their ability to manage SPLOST funds, I offered suggestions on ways to accomplish that. I reiterated the importance of community involvement in the SPLOST process. Town halls are one avenue, but there are others and, again, I provided a few recommendations. Lastly, I shared suggested priority areas if a SPLOST is presented, like flooding, hurricane preparedness and air quality.

Rachel Thompson with Glynn Environmental Coalition urged commissioners to hire a new county manager before a SPLOST referendum goes before voters.

“If you don’t have a county manager by November, a SPLOST won’t succeed,” she said. She suggested a joint town hall meeting with officials from Brunswick and the Brunswick-Glynn Joint Water and Sewer Commission since they will be recipients of SPLOST revenue if voters approve the referendum.

Hello Goodbuy, a thrift store and outreach ministry of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, distributed its second round of funding for the year. Distributing $71,597 to 19 local charities in Glynn County brings the year end total giving to more than $140,000. Since establishing this ministry in 2012, this organization has distributed over $1.3 million to more than 125 local charities.