Yet another reason Atlanta doesn’t understand south Georgia: military enlistment is 1 in 100 people in south Georgia from Columbus to Valdosta, and less than a third of that in the Atlanta Metro area. Enlistment is probably related to two other major features of south Georgia that Atlanta doesn’t understand: it’s agricultural (traditionally a bastion of military supporters), and it’s poor (and enlisting is one way to a career). A certain pipeline company may not have taken this factor into account, either. Continue reading
Tag Archives: Military
Solar project underway at Robins Air Force Base
WCTV via AP 5 October 2014, Solar project underway at Robbins Air Force Base,
The Telegraph reports that land has been cleared on a 57-acre tract near Georgia Highway 247 to make room for solar panels.
Wayne Crenshaw wrote for the Telegraph 3 October 2014, and spelled Robins Air Force Base correctly, Solar array project changes landscape south of Robins,
Previously the 57-acre tract next to Ga. 247 just south of the Museum of Aviation was forestland, but those trees have been cut down over the past month to make way for the solar array….
But what would probably catch people’s eye the most is Continue reading
10 MW solar power at Robins Air Force Base
Somebody got a jump on Georgia Power for Air Force base solar installation.
Wayne Crenshaw wrote for The Telegraph 23 July 2014, Air Force signs deal for solar array at Robins,
The Air Force has inked a deal with a company that plans to build a 50-acre solar array at Robins Air Force Base.
New Generation Power has signed Continue reading
Fourth solar military project by Georgia Power: Kings Bay Submarine Base
Like the three Army bases before it, solar power from the Navy Base at Kings Bay will go into Georgia Power’s grid. How about Air Force bases next, such as Moody AFB? And how about start building 30 MW solar farms throughout the state?
Curiously, there’s no press release by either Georgia Power or the Navy about this project.
Dave Williams wrote for the Atlanta Business Journal 14 August 2014, Georgia Power to build solar project at naval base,
The U.S. Navy is working with Georgia Power Co. to build a solar energy project at Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base near St. Marys, a Georgia Power executive announced Thursday.
Continue reading
Lowndes County Sheriff Deputy enforces First Amendment
Lowndes County, an oasis of constitutional rights. Yes, really. Here’s video evidence. This kind of good news could do more to attract businesses here than many things the local powers that be are doing.
Carlos Miller wrote for Photography is Not a Crime 25 June 2014, Georgia Deputy Surprises us all by Respecting Constitution,
It started off with a federal protective service officer pulling up to Jeff Gray in a patrol car for taking pictures from a public sidewalk outside the Moody Air Force Base in Georgia Monday.
Gray told the officer that he was photographing the railroad. But the cop had his doubts and accused him of photographing the entrance to the base — as if it would make any difference within the scopes of the law — and decided to call the local sheriff for backup.
When Gray tried to walk away, the cop informed he was being detained.
When Gray asked for his name and badge number, the cop informed Gray Continue reading
USACE presentation online at City of Valdosta
Emily Davenport, Valdosta Stormwater Manager, sent a letter 2 June 2014 to attendees of the 6 May 2014 Army Corps of Engineers presentations, with paper materials attached, and a note that they are also online at Stormwater Division, Regional Flooding. [Not there anymore, but see updated first bullet item below. 2018-01-28 -jsq]
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USACE Presentation (May 2014).
This one is just the presentation by the Corps.
See also: Continue reading
30 MW solar times 3 Army bases in Georgia with Georgia Power
An additional 90 megawatts of solar power by Georgia Power, beyond what the GA PSC required last summer? With whose Army?
Kristi E. Swartz wrote for EnergyWire 16 May 2014, Georgia Power plan would install solar arrays on 3 Army bases,
Georgia Power and the Army jointly released plans to install large solar arrays at three military bases yesterday in what officials say could be a model for other states.
The three solar arrays are scheduled to start producing power in 2015 and will lead to the Army getting 18 percent of its electricity in Georgia from renewable fuels that are on-site.
The 90 total megawatts of solar electricity also will move the Army 9 percent closer to meeting federal goals for renewable energy.
Adding three 30 MW arrays would continue to boost Georgia’s rapidly growing solar output and would help the military meet its renewable energy goals to become sustainable and more secure.
The move also alleviates mounting political and public pressure on Georgia Power to remove roadblocks that some say have made it difficult for the military to meet its federal renewable energy goals.
OK, that’s all good stuff. However, I’m missing the part about SO is going beyond what GA PSC required Georgia Power to do:
“From the commission standpoint, it’s a joint venture between the Georgia Public Service Commission and the Georgia Power Co. It is a partnership,” PSC member Lauren “Bubba” McDonald said in an interview with EnergyWire. “Georgia will be the model state.”
At least a couple of state utility regulators have been working with Georgia Power for months on a program specifically to install solar at military bases. The utility will use a 90 MW self-build project that the Georgia Public Service Commission approved in 2007 to implement its plans.
So if that 90 MW was approved by GA PSC in 2007, how is it beyond the 525 MW GA PSC required of Georgia Power last summer? Maybe Georgia Power and GA PSC won’t count that 90MW within the 525 MW. This could confirm that interpretation:
McDonald said this program is an extension of his efforts last summer when he shepherded a proposal to have Georgia Power add 525 MW of solar to the grid as part of the utility’s long-term energy plan.
OK, that’s good. It’s still not enough: Georgia Power should be doubling its solar generation every year, not just adding 17% above what it’s required. But it’s some sort of acknowledgement that something needs to be done, and it is something Georgia Power is actually doing.
-jsq
Videos: Water under Moody Family Housing and Sabal Trail @ LCC 2014-03-11
Two speakers about the Sabal Trail pipeline, one about water issues under Moody Family Housing, One request to do something about speeding (good luck), a recognition (firefighters), a proclamation (purple hearts), and an award (budget), one rezoning withdrawn, three others approved, two contracts (bus system renewal and software master contract), some but not all streets accepted in Nelson Hill, and no mention of the Lake Park annexation request that took up at least five minutes the previous morning.
For why John Page is no longer on the Commission, see the previous post with the agenda. Here’s the agenda again with links to the videos and a few notes. See also videos from the previous morning’s Work Session. And see also Lowndes County becomes third purple heart county in the state, by Matthew Woody, VDT, 12 March 2014.
LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERSContinue reading
PROPOSED AGENDA
WORK SESSION, MONDAY, MARCH 10, 2014, 8:30 a.m.
REGULAR SESSION, TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 2014, 5:30 p.m.
327 N. Ashley Street — 2nd Floor
Water issues under Moody Family Housing –Dr. Michael Noll @ LCC 2014-03-11
Water issues still need to be investigated and resolved under the proposed Moody Family Housing, said Dr. Michael Noll, presenting a public comment by him and two other VSU professors about the recent evironmental assessment to the 11 March 2014 Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission.
Here’s the video:
Regular Session, Lowndes County Commission (LCC)
Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, 11 March 2014.
Videos by Gretchen Quarterman for Lowndes Area Knowledge Exchange (LAKE).
Appended is the text of the VSU professors’ letter, and here it is in PDF.
Continue readingMoody Family Housing Environmental Assessment published
Spotted first by Michael G. Noll in the VDT yesterday, the document promised by Col. Ford the previous evening. A quick search finds nothing about the Nelson Hill Wells, and no mention of VSU or any of the professors there who have expressed concern and asked for access to the site to conduct an independent study.
USAF ANNOUNCES AN
ENVIRONMENT ASSESSMENTIn accordance with the National Environmental Policy
Act and Air Force regulations, the Air Force Civil
Engineer Center (AFCEC) has completed a Revised Draft
Environmental Assessment (EA), Finding of No
Significant Impact (FONSI), and a Finding of No
Practicable Alternative (FONPA) to evaluate the
consequences of the following stated proposed action:The revised Proposed Action would involve the
construction of 11 housing units for senior leadership on
a 15-acre parcel on the base and 90 units on an
approximately 60-acre parcel located northwest of the
city of Valdosta, GA on Val-Del Road (the Val-Del
Parcel). This represents a reduction Continue reading