By David Pendered July 28 – The Muscogee (Creek) Nation in the Okefenokee Swamp included “incomparably beautiful women” and “fierce men,” according to an account of the swamp published in 1791 by William Bartram, a Quaker natural scientist. Some 235 years after the book’s publication, UNESCO on July 25 added the swamp to the World […]
Environment
Floating nuclear reactors OKed for Outer Continental ShelfBy David Pendered July 23 – Floating nuclear reactors funded by investors could be allowed in United States’ waters up to 200 miles offshore of US states and territories, under a provision announced Wednesday by the Trump administration. A market for such energy seems to exist. On Tuesday, a start-up company announced it has placed […]
Environment
Short Takes
Georgia’s new data center rule increases local controlBy David Pendered Dec. 1 – Georgia’s new tool to control the growth of data centers puts Georgia in the mix as states and the federal government stake claims on controlling the development of data centers. Georgia and Indiana lead the nation in “reshaping the approval process” of data centers. Local opposition resulted in an […]
Environment
Climate change at center of new tree plan in Brunswick, Ga.By David Pendered Nov. 17 – Climate change is at the center of the Tree Resiliency Plan enacted Oct. 1 by the coastal city of Brunswick, Ga. “Climate change is the main driver for many of the threats to Brunswick’s urban forest,” is the first sentence in the plan’s section titled, “Assessing Threats to Brunswick’s […]
Environment
North Atlantic right whales face new peril as numbers stabilizeBy David Pendered Nov. 3 – The good news for North Atlantic right whales is that their numbers grew slightly in the latest estimated population count. However, the growth is shadowed by pending federal legislation to reduce protections for whales and other marine mammals. First the good news. The population is up by an estimated […]
Environment
Monitoring fish catch after Scotus bans owner-paid monitorsBy David Pendered Oct. 6 — To improve the monitoring of the nation’s fisheries, an environmental foundation is offering grants to groups that devise electronic methods to track fishery catch now that the Supreme Court has halted a program that used human monitors. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, in partnership with NOAA, is offering […]
Environment
Investors retreat from sustainability bonds in 2025By David Pendered Aug. 4 – North American investors have pulled back sharply this year from purchasing bonds that fund social and environmental projects, a new report shows. For instance, the sale of bonds that fund sectors including renewable energy, clean transportation, energy efficiency, climate change adaption and others plunged by a third in the […]
Environment
Buc-ee’s drawing opposition from environmental advocatesBy David Pendered July 28 – Buc-ee’s is a cultural phenomenon that’s drawing opposition for being just too big, and now Georgians who advocate for sea turtles have joined the critics. In Georgia, turtle advocates say sea turtle hatchlings on Little St. Simons Island are endangered by the high-masted lights installed at the I-95 exit […]
Environment
Apalachicola Bay oyster harvests may be reopenedBy David Pendered July 7 – The Apalachicola Bay could be reopened to oyster harvesting in 2026 even though the oyster population remains decimated. Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in August is to consider if, when and how the bay will be reopened to oyster harvesting. The commission closed oyster beds to harvesting in […]
Environment
Feds to sell more oil leases in Gulf of America/MexicoBy David Pendered June 30 – Expect more conflicting reports about oil and gas extraction from the Gulf of America/Mexico now that the federal government has announced the pending sale of leases in waters offshore all states that border the gulf. Stakeholders in the potential debate include the Trump administration, opponents to extraction activities in […]
