When Amber Burks became the first person to move into Aviary Park, a new townhome complex on Greenbriar Parkway, she was excited to see how the community would transform and grow over time. But what she didn’t expect three years ago was for the neighborhood to be in an ongoing feud with the city over […]
Environmental Justice
Posted inEconomic Development, Environmental Justice, Money, Politics & Policy
Amazon’s $270 Million Land Deal Sparks Data Center Concerns in Georgia
Last month, Amazon purchased around 1,000 acres of land south of Atlanta for possible data center development as the state continues to be at the forefront of the fast-growing industry of digital storage space. The deal was between a subsidiary of Amazon called Amazon Data Services and High Falls 75 LLC, the developer behind the […]
Posted inClimate Change, Environmental Justice, Politics & Policy
New Tree Rules Bring Higher Removal Fees and Help for Seniors
The Atlanta City Council has approved revisions to the city’s long-standing tree protection rules, marking the most significant update in over two decades. The unanimous decision by the council introduces increased fees for tree removal and establishes a new senior citizen tree assistance program. Despite these changes, some council members and environmental advocates express concern […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice
After Toxic Fire and Public Outcry, BioLab to Shut Down
BioLab will not resume manufacturing at its Conyers facility, the company announced Thursday, following a massive chemical fire last September that sent toxic smoke across metro Atlanta. “After taking steps to meet customer needs through alternative production, and in considering our future business needs carefully, we have made the difficult decision to not restart manufacturing […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice
How Illegal Tire Dumps Are Harming Atlanta’s Black Neighborhoods
Chad Livsey has spent the past seven years removing improperly discarded furniture and other hard-to-recycle litter from Atlanta neighborhoods, but he says he has yet to encounter a dumping site as daunting as this one in southeast Atlanta. The Snellville native commemorated Earth Day by responding to a tip he received one year ago about […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice
Meet the Black Women Fighting for Clean Air and Water in Atlanta
Gwen Smith thinks lovingly of the three decades she spent living in Collier Heights, reflecting on a close-knit community filled with neighbors who knew one another’s names and were always eager to lend a helping hand when necessary. But she can’t help but to remember the stench. Smith recalls foul odors surrounding her community on […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice
How to Safely Dispose of Tires, Furniture, and Waste in Atlanta
Parks, vacant lots, and abandoned properties in West Atlanta are turning into dumping grounds, littered with busted furniture, worn tires, and other bulk trash — and community members say their complaints are going unresolved. “They’re dumping into the streams, dumping in ditches, roads, any place they can do a quick drop-off,” said Khalifa Lee, chair of […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice, Politics & Policy
BioLab Fined $61,000 After Georgia Lawmakers Fail to Pass Regulatory Legislation
This story was originally published on February 4, 2025, and has been updated. Kiya Stanford remembers clearly the fallout from the BioLab chemical fire that wrapped Conyers and surrounding areas in a cloud of toxic smoke in September. She recalls the pungent odor that lingered in the air for several days; the fear of exposure […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice, Politics & Policy, Unsafe Water
Proposed Rollback of Lead Pipe Regulations Threatens Health of Atlanta Communities
Republican lawmakers are seeking to end a Biden administration mandate that local governments and water utilities identify and replace lead pipes nationwide, potentially obstructing efforts being made in metro Atlanta. The Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) aim to eliminate toxic pipes in the U.S. within the next 10 years. Following this mandate, areas like […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice, Public Services
How to Find Out if You Have Lead Pipes — and What You Can Do About It
After a federal law change, counties across Georgia are making it easier for residents to know if lead pipes are contaminating the water in their communities. In 2021, a landmark revision was made to federal laws regarding lead and copper in pipes to create safer conditions for drinking water. Due to this change, public water […]
