LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Development must be held accountable in state law

To the Editor

As Georgia leaders continue aggressively promoting economic development, the public must be protected from consequences that often harm household finances, quality-of-life, and health. Yet these problems remain unacknowledged and unevaluated by dogmatic decision-makers fixated on advancing negligent industrialization.

State leaders must provide the safeguards Georgians deserve by adopting public policies that resolve the following:

Hidden Subsidies — Incentives offered to major businesses often shift private development costs onto Georgians. For instance, after recent fee increases approved by Georgia’s Public Service Commission, residential utility rates are at least 50 percent higher than those paid by industries. That means unwary households are subsidizing development, unfairly rewarding investors with higher profits. Such subsidies must be prohibited unless explicitly approved by voter referendum.

Contradictory Goals — Despite Georgia now preparing a climate emissions reduction plan, the PSC is considering approval of Georgia Power’s proposal for new natural gas plants, worse than burning coal if methane leaks aren’t prevented, and using coal plants long after pledging to retire them. Influential corporations with clean-energy agendas doing business in Georgia — including Walmart, Microsoft, Target, and Home Depot — must compel the PSC to rapidly transition from fossil-fuels to low-emission energy and incentivize roof-top solar installations.

Environmental Impacts — Clearing vast tracts of land and paving them for development creates stormwater runoff that can cause contamination and flooding that are imposed on local taxpayers and property-owners, while also endangering marshlands, wildlife and fisheries. Furthermore, large-scale solar projects should be installed on warehouse roofs instead of clearing forests or converting agricultural land for them.

David Kyler

St. Simons Island