The biggest Georgia climate and environment stories of 2023

Dangerous heatwaves. More frequent severe weather. A promising year for a landmark Georgia crop undone by a warm winter and an untimely cold snap.

A controversial mine. “Forever chemicals” in water. Questions about what to do with the toxic waste left behind from burning coal for electricity.

ExploreExplore: Georgia climate news from the AJC

The biggest climate and environmental stories of 2023 showed how a warming planet and pollution are affecting the lives and livelihoods of average Georgians. But there also were stories of ingenuity and hope.

A clean energy boom. Green jobs. Saving “sky puppies.”

Here are the Georgia climate and environment stories to remember from 2023:

Extreme heat

Credit: Michael Blackshire

Credit: Michael Blackshire

As the planet endured what was likely the hottest year in its recorded history, Georgia also faced dangerous heatwaves, putting vulnerable populations at risk. At the same time, new research revealed which Atlanta neighborhoods are the hottest, providing the city valuable insight to help it plan for and adapt to a warmer future.

Peaches blitzed

Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC

Georgia has long been known as the Peach State, but its namesake fruit had a rough 2023, owing to an exceptionally warm winter and a March freeze. Peaches aren’t the only crop that has struggled to adapt to rising temperatures. The state’s most valuable fruit — blueberries — has also sustained heavy losses.

Pecans lashed by a hurricane

Credit: Special to the AJC

After Florida took a direct hit from Hurricane Idalia in late August, the storm churned north into Georgia, causing severe damage on many farms in the southern part of the state. Pecans were hit hardest, with thousands of trees uprooted by the winds on some farms, but federal help should help growers replant and recover.

Wildfires

Credit: Georgia Forestry Commission

Firefighters battled several fires in northwest Georgia this fall, including at least one that was the result of arson. Bone-dry conditions, falling leaves and gusty winds combined to fuel several significant blazes. The fires were a reminder of the risk of wildfires in heavily wooded Georgia, particularly in times of drought, a condition that is likely to be more common amid a changing climate.

Georgia a green jobs winner

Credit: Natrice Miller / Natrice.Miller@

After Hyundai announced plans to build its “Metaplant” in Georgia in 2022, the state continued its hot streak in recruiting electric vehicle (EV) and clean energy projects. Hyundai not only helped bring a wave of suppliers, the main Hyundai plant under construction in Bryan County grew to a $7.6 billion investment and 8,500 promised jobs.

Solar panel manufacturer Qcells announced a major expansion of its production capacity at two sites in Georgia, while a host of battery makers and other EV parts suppliers announced plans to come to the state, bringing thousands of jobs with them.

Plant Vogtle

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com

The long-delayed and over-budget expansion of the nuclear power plant near Augusta finally switched on its first new reactor, making history in the process and bringing a major new source of clean energy to the state.

Vogtle’s second new unit, meanwhile, sustained a setback, while Georgia Power’s customers found out how much more they’ll be paying for the project.

‘Forever chemicals’

Credit: TNS

As a federal crackdown looms on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — also known by their acronym, PFAS — for water supplies, new testing revealed which Georgia water systems contain concentrations of the chemicals.

A major lawsuit over PFAS contamination in northwest Georgia reached a settlement, bringing the city of Rome tens of millions of dollars. But in its wake, a legal fight over DuPont and its successor companies’ deal with the city erupted. At the same time, water utilities across the state are weighing their options to remove the chemicals from their water supplies.

Water war victory

Credit: Riley Bunch/riley.bunch@ajc.com

In one of the long-running disputes with its neighbors in Alabama over the states’ shared water supplies, Georgia notched a major legal victory. And in another of the so-called “water wars,” Georgia and Alabama reached a tentative deal that could resolve a separate conflict.

Bats

Credit: Jason.Getz@ajc.com

Many of Georgia’s bats — dubbed “sky puppies” by lovers of the flying mammals — are in serious decline due to a number of threats, from human development to a deadly fungal disease.

As more of the animals make their homes in bridges and culverts around the state, a multi-agency effort to protect them is paying off.

Invasive species

Credit: Yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina, formerly called Asian hornet) by Gilles San Martin is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped)

Georgia is home to an impressive array of native wildlife, but a few invasive species showed up in the state this year uninvited. A bee-eating hornet and a blue land crab were among the most concerning new arrivals.

Fishing access

Credit: TNS

Georgia is home to thousands of miles of rivers and streams, but a new state law has raised questions over what is and is not a public waterway. A lawsuit is testing where the state will draw the line on the issues of private property and public access, with big implications for people who fish and other lovers of the great outdoors.

Okefenokee mine

Credit: Photos contributed by Georgia state parks and historic sites

The fight over a proposed titanium mine near the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge heated up in 2023. Georgia environmental regulators released the project’s draft mining plan in January, but no permits have been issued yet.

Then, this fall, the Okefenokee was tabbed for nomination to a prestigious list reserved for the planet’s most significant natural, historical and cultural gems. At the same time, opponents of the project have stayed on the attack, this time targeting corporate boardrooms.

Coal ash

Credit: TNS

Georgia’s electricity providers are turning away from their dirty and expensive coal-fired power plants. But as they do, big questions remain about how to handle the pits of dangerous waste left behind by years of burning coal.

Georgia Power is giving some of its coal ash a second life in concrete mixes, but there are serious legal and environmental questions about its handling of the material left behind at other sites.

A note of disclosure

This coverage is supported by a partnership with 1Earth Fund, the Kendeda Fund and Journalism Funding Partners. You can learn more and support our climate reporting by donating at ajc.com/donate/climate/

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