PFAS Georgia at a town hall in Chatsworth says that the majority of tests for forever chemicals across North Georgia have tested above the EPA limits.

They say 56% of water samples, 69% of soil samples, and 97% of dust samples all came back above the limit of 4 parts of forever chemicals per trillion (PPT), which scientists say can lead to a variety of health issues.

In particular, the most egregious results were:

• A water sample of 186,310 PPT
• A soil sample of 2,154,100 PPT
• A dust sample of 879,500 PPT

A hotspot map across north Georgia showing concentrations of forever chemicals. (Courtesy: PFAS Georgia)

The Water Resources Manager for PFAS Georgia, Bob Bowcock, said that some of the readings were so high their testing equipment could not register a reading.

PFAS Georgia says this is the result of the improper discarding of chemicals from carpet manufacturers, many of whom are facing ongoing lawsuits in Catoosa, Whitfield, Murray, and Gordon Counties.

Bowcock gravely said, “I think that we are at the point now where you have to tell your neighbors. You have to let them know. Whether they’ve been tested or not this is real, and if you’re drinking 850 parts and you don’t tell your neighbors… It’s really eating at me.”

A proposed bill in the Georgia House of Representatives that was proposed by Dalton representative Kasey Carpenter that would have shielded carpet manufacturers from lawsuits did not pass.

There will be another town hall Friday night in Calhoun, Georgia.

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Exciting news! Today, President Biden and EPA Administrator Michael Regan announced stringent new limits on climate pollution from power plants. These standards are part of a suite of federal tools that the administration will use to help our country meet our recent climate commitments.

Thank President Biden and EPA Administrator Regan and urge them to finish the job and finalize the strongest climate pollution standards possible.

Today’s announcement — federal limits on climate pollution from power plants — means we will have yet another tool to help meet our goal for a safe and habitable planet for the future. While frontline and fenceline communities have borne the increasing burdens of the climate crisis, power plants have been allowed to pump deadly carbon dioxide pollution into the air we breathe and the planet we call home with nearly no federal limits — until now.

The continued use or expansion of fossil power plants is incompatible with a livable future. Simply put, we must not merely limit the use of fossil fuel electricity: we must end it entirely. Sierra Club will continue to fight for a rapid transition to clean energy to protect communities and the environment. So as the EPA takes comments from the public on this proposal, we will demand these protections be as strong as possible, and that fenceline communities have the same access to clean air as the rest of the country.

Tell President Biden and Administrator Regan that you support making these protections for our climate as strong as possible! Don’t forget to personalize your message to have the greatest impact.

But we know the work to confront the climate crisis doesn’t stop at strong carbon pollution standards.

Over the last two years, President Biden’s EPA has proposed new limits on pollution from heavy trucks and cars, tightened soot standards, limits on hazardous air pollutants like mercury, and safeguards against methane pollution from oil and fracked gas equipment, and more.

In the coming weeks, fossil fuel companies and their political allies will use every dirty polluter trick in the book to convince the public to oppose these common sense standards. They’re afraid this will reduce their record-breaking profits, hold them accountable for their pollution, and encourage utilities to switch to renewables.

What these polluters won’t tell you is that strong limits on carbon emissions are not only possible, but they can also lower energy bills as we adopt cheap and abundant clean energy and create new jobs.

It’s absolutely necessary that our country not only meet the emission reduction goals that EPA’s standards would achieve, but actually surpass them to save the planet. So as our opponents try to divide us, it’s even more important that we organize and fight for these protections.

The fight for a livable planet and stable climate will take all of us. Ultimately, President Biden and Administrator Regan will make the final decision on how strong these final protections will be.

Send a personalized message today to show them the public supports the strongest possible climate pollution standards to protect our communities.

Yours in the climate movement,

Ben Jealous
Executive Director
Sierra Club

P.S. Want to take other actions to protect our climate? Submit a public comment for other recent EPA pollution standards — including reducing pollution from heavy-duty trucks, cars and vans, and curbing mercury and other air toxics from power plants.

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