Multiple individuals and organizations are calling upon local representatives to give serious consideration to the imminent demands on the local environment and infrastructure that will accompany the new facility that will sit adjacent to interstate 16.
Lissa Leege of Georgia Southern’s biology department recently spoke at a Bulloch County Commission meeting about zoning and how to deal with the tens of thousands of people that will be moving here in the next few years with the creation of 8,000 new jobs at the Hyundai plant.
“Yes, we are making electric vehicles in that space, but that is not a green decision unless all the development around it is sustainable,” said Leege.
Kris Howard, the Science and Policy Manager for Ogeechee Riverkeepers, described how the group is working closely with commissioners across multiple counties to ensure the sustainable development of not only the facility, but the neighboring communities that will see an influx of residents soon.
“We are very adamant about not being opposed to growth because growth is needed, but we are focused on sustainability,” said Howard.
The HMG facility's water use and the increased demands on public sewage systems are a top priority, and Howard says that the Riverkeepers are working towards ordinances that will require annual maintenance on septic systems in order to prevent malfunctioning and harmful impacts to our waters.
Beyond policy and infrastructure, some individuals are also concerned with the loss of habitat and how the permanent alteration of this much land will impact the surrounding environment. C. Ray Chandler of the Georgia Southern biology department described the importance of the forest and the effects of removing the vegetation from this land.
The forests and wetlands native to this part of Southeastern Georgia provide many essential ecosystem services including air and water filtration. As a carbon sink, the forest collects more CO2 than it produces but, with the clearing of this land, that carbon returns to the atmosphere. Additionally, because this land that was previously shaded by trees is now receiving direct sunlight and is now drier, topsoil erosion will occur.
“Your physically altering temperature, humidity, wind, and over time, you're going to have biological effects,” said Chandler
According to Chandler many species of amphibians, including those such as the endangered Flatwood Salamander, rely on both the forests as their primary habitats, and also the wetlands for their short breeding seasons.
Even with precautions such as creating boundaries around wetlands during construction, many species are threatened by deforestation because their life cycles and breeding patterns rely on different aspects of the environment.
Chandler also detailed his concerns about the potential for misuse of water resources including overdraft of the rivers and effluent (treated wastewater) pollution.
His concerns are far from hypothetical, as just over a decade ago a textile treatment facility in Screven county seeped toxins into a 77-mile stretch of the Ogeechee river, resulting in the loss of nearly 40,000 fish, along with alligators, birds and turtles.
Chandler believes it is a difficult balance to strike between conserving the natural ecosystems and developing infrastructure that can support sustainability amongst a growing population.
“At the end of the day, we need to reduce our CO2 production. Electric vehicles are probably going to be part of the answer,” said Chandler.
However, because we will not be dismantling any warehouses or pulling up asphalt anytime in the foreseeable future, Chandler says serious forethought needs to be put into these permanent developments because ultimately, residents of South Georgia will pay the cost for mishandled resources.
According to Leege and Kris Howard, the most compelling action a citizen can take is to make their voice heard. By attending commision meetings and organizing as groups with a united cause, representatives are more likely to consider these opinions and make decisions that are truly in the interest of the community.
The Bulloch County Board of Commissioners meets on the first and third Tuesday of every month, at which community members can make their opinions heard.
“There's potential to do it the right way, so speak up,” said Leege.
