Blog Post – Page 12 – Ogeechee Riverkeeper

Blog Post, Press Releases milliken, permit, pfas

Press Release: Milliken vows to halt use of PFAS chemicals by year’s end

by Ogeechee Riverkeeper February 22, 2022

February 18, 2022
Ogeechee Riverkeeper
Contact: Meaghan Gerard
Communications and Administrative Director
meaghan@ogeecheeriverkeeper.org

MILLIKEN VOWS TO HALT USE OF PFAS CHEMICALS BY YEAR’S END
One of their industrial textile facilities is on the banks of the Ogeechee River

Milliken has promised to stop using PFAS, otherwise known as ‘forever chemicals’ in their facilities by December 2022. They are eradicating these chemicals from two product lines from facilities worldwide. This includes the Longleaf facility located in Screven County on the banks of the Ogeechee River.

Ogeechee Riverkeeper (ORK) discovered PFAS in the river, then produced and publicly shared sample evidence to indicate PFAS were being discharged by Milliken in fall of 2020. This information was shared with the public, and with Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GA EPD), along with a request to require Milliken to conduct a full-scale PFAS study before issuing a new permit.

“This is a major step in removing pollutants and contaminants from all of our waterways,” said Damon Mullis, riverkeeper and executive director. “We are pleased our work on this issue gained enough public attention to encourage a change in company practices.” Mullis adds that ORK will continue to monitor for compliance.

PFAS are a class of chemicals that do not break down in nature and bio-accumulate in living organisms, including humans. Studies show links to thyroid and liver problems, obesity, high cholesterol, low birth weight, and certain cancers. There are currently no national standards for ‘acceptable’ levels of PFAS contamination. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is still studying the issue but the agency recently added PFAS to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) list.

Removal of this harmful chemical from Milliken’s process is positive for the health of the river, but ORK will continue to push for stringent standards on any permit renewal for Milliken. Outflow from the facility was the contributing factor to a massive fish kill in 2011, one of the largest in the state’s history. The facility has at least one Clean Water Act (CWA) violation on record for the past 11 of 13 quarters, including the most recent 4 quarters.

More on the history of Milliken’s facility along the Ogeechee River

About Ogeechee Riverkeeper: Ogeechee Riverkeeper 501(c)(3) works to protect, preserve, and improve the water quality of the Ogeechee River basin, which includes all of the streams flowing out to Ossabaw Sound and St. Catherine’s Sound. The Canoochee River is about 108 miles long and the Ogeechee River itself is approximately 245 miles long. The Ogeechee River system drains more than 5,500 square miles across 22 counties in Georgia. More at ogeecheeriverkeeper.org.

Blog Post, Fellowship crayfish, fellowship

Why freshwater critters like crayfish are so fascinating

by Ogeechee Riverkeeper February 17, 2022

Hi everyone! I’m incredibly excited and I figured I would use this first post to provide a bit of background on myself, what I’m hoping to get out of this research project, and why freshwater critters like crayfish are so fascinating!

I was born and raised in Ohio, and have been interested in the natural world my entire life. I grew up hiking, kayaking, and climbing, and knew that I wanted to have a career that would allow me to explore nature and to help conserve the land that I was recreating in. This led me to pursue a degree in environmental science at Ohio State, but it wasn’t until I lucked into a lab research job studying stream ecology that I found my passion for the animals that call the freshwater their home.

Of course, like every little kid, I had spent time growing up playing in creeks and knew about some of the weird things that you could find in streams. But it wasn’t until I started really spending time doing biological surveys that I discovered how much beauty and diversity lies under the water. That’s why I decided to come all the way down to the southeast for graduate school; I wanted to be in an area that harbored a large diversity of organisms, and that’s exactly what Georgia has.

While Ohio is home to roughly 20 crayfish species, Georgia is home to over 70 (!), the 4th most in the U.S. behind Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee. This incredibly high diversity is due to a lot of different things, but one of the main reasons is that crayfish often have very specific and restricted ranges, whether due to geographic barriers or very specific life history traits that allow them to only occupy very specific areas. If you’re interested in learning more about some of the biodiversity of Georgia crayfishes, Georgia DNR has amazing resources for experts and amateurs alike.

Procambarus pubescens (Brushnose Crayfish) from Magnolia Springs

One of these species that has a very specific range is the Ogeechee Crayfish, or Procambarus petersi. Found only in the Ogeechee and Canoochee basins, very little is known about P. petersi beyond the fact that it is a stream-dwelling crayfish. What I hope to do with this project is to better understand this species range within the basin, what its habitat preferences are, and how it interacts with other species within its habitat.

Next month, we will start doing some of our first surveys of the basin, and hopefully start catching some petersi to show everyone! I’ll also dive into why conservation of aquatic organisms matters in the first place, and what specific roles crayfish play within aquatic ecosystems.

– Brian Bush, ORK Fellow

Blog Post, Press Releases grant, national fish and wildlife foundation, protect the vernon

PRESS RELEASE: Ogeechee Riverkeeper awarded prestigious Fish & Wildlife Foundation grant

by Ogeechee Riverkeeper February 2, 2022

February 1, 2022
Ogeechee Riverkeeper
Contact: Meaghan Gerard
Communications and Administrative Director
meaghan@ogeecheeriverkeeper.org

OGEECHEE RIVERKEEPER AWARDED PRESTIGIOUS FISH & WILDLIFE FOUNDATION GRANT

ORK will work with municipalities, stakeholders to improve Vernon River watershed

Ogeechee Riverkeeper (ORK) was awarded a Five Star grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) in support of its ongoing Protect The Vernon project. The grant, totalling $93,200, includes more than $45,000 in matching funds and on-the-ground support from local experts, municipalities, and organizations. The funding will allow ORK to engage stakeholders in a scientific plan and help move the Vernon River toward greater ecological health. Ultimately, ORK envisions this restoration project to serve as a model for restoring other water bodies in our basin.

Aspects of the project include:

Installation of multiple litter booms to capture litter and plastic pollution before it reaches larger water bodies
Analyze captured litter for possible mitigation solutions
Monitor bacterial levels at multiple locations to identify and respond to pollution sources
Train and engage community volunteers to monitor water quality
Educate and engage young people via K-12 classroom settings
Provide collegiate internships in data collection and analysis

The representative group of stakeholders and partners includes ORK, Skidaway Institute for Oceanography, City of Savannah, Chatham County, Savannah State University, Chatham Academy, Heard Elementary, Town of Vernonburg, Georgia Adopt-A-Stream, and Cuddybum Hydrology.

“The goal of this project is to reduce bacterial and plastic contamination from entering into the Vernon River and our coastal marshes and we are involving the many great community partners to accomplish this” says Damon Mullis, riverkeeper and executive director. “With the support of this grant we will be able to reach people of all ages and backgrounds, making these efforts a long-term, sustainable solution.”

The NFWF Urban Waters Restoration Program helps develop community capacity by providing modest assistance to diverse local partnerships for river, wetland, riparian, forest and coastal restoration, and wildlife conservation. Water monitoring, stormwater management, source water protection, urban tree canopy restoration, and projects designed to prevent trash from entering waterways are just some of the types of projects that are awarded grants.

More details about the Protect the Vernon project and continuing updates are available at https://www.ogeecheeriverkeeper.org/vernon.

***

Blog Post, Educational education, valentine, water

Water, I Love You

by Ogeechee Riverkeeper February 1, 2022

We all know that water equals life, so of course we love water! Put on your creativity cap and tell us *why* you love water. Think outside the traditional Valentine’s celebrations. Use any platform, mixed media or words and share that love this year for Valentine’s Day and the month of February.

Activity is open to all ages. Share why you love water and what it means to you at info@ogeecheeriverkeeper.org or on social media using #LoveORK.

Extra ways to show you love water

Check out these sites for a few suggestions for how to dispose of batteries, e-waste or items that can be repurposed to see how they can be disposed of properly instead of ending up in the landfill or making their way into our waterways.

E-Waste

Goodwill is currently accepting electronics recycling, free of charge! Old wires, electronics, kids toys, etc. can be donated as e-waste. Verify with your local Goodwill prior to drop off.

Textiles

Did you know that you can recycle textiles at appropriate clothing & shoe drop-off bins? Fabrics, especially those connected to ‘fast fashion,’ are one of the fastest growing materials in landfills, but they don’t need to be. They can be repurposed into other textile materials such as carpet, clothing, blankets, and more.

Guide to recycling textiles in Georgia

Batteries

Recycling or properly disposing of batteries can be confusing. Batteries are recycled in different ways depending on the type. If storing old batteries until they can be recycled, always be separate them by type and tape the ends to help slow the corrosion process. Call2Recycle offers mail-in options as well as a list of places that accept drop-offs.

Blog Post flora, Lobelia boykinii, plants

FLORA: Lobelia boykinii

by Ogeechee Riverkeeper January 20, 2022

Boykin’s Lobelia
Lobelia boykinii

Boykin’s lobelia forms networks of underground root colonies and is the only rhizome of the genus. It sprouts tall, slim stems that can grow to 3 feet tall. The blooms flower in a cluster at the top of each stem. The flower is a lovely violet-blue with a bit of white in the center.

The plant needs specific environmental conditions in order to thrive, which is why it remains rare. Boykin’s lobelia lives in cypress swamps, Carolina bays, wetlands, wet pine flatlands, and ditches. These locations can be found throughout the Ogeechee watershed. It also requires cross-pollination by insects in order to reproduce. This combination of requirements is increasing difficult find in its natural habitat.

The species appears to have been first described in the 1830s and was included in the herbarium compiled by Alphonse Louis Pierre Pyramus de Candolle. Letters between A.W. Chapman and Dr. John Torrey held at Columbia University and mention finding a new species of lobelia in northern Florida.

According to the GA Department of Natural Resources (DNR), “Thirty-five populations have been documented since 1902 but only 7 have been confirmed since 2000, most of these on conservation lands.” The DNR suggests pesticide-free buffers, prevent clearing and filling of wetlands, and protect the water table and natural hydrology to make sure the plant species can thrive and return to normal population numbers.