Fresh Loaf

The firing of City of Atlanta Senior Arborist Tom Coffin that was first reported here and quickly became national news has not slowed down. The Fulton Couty Taxpayers Foundation is calling for an e-mail campaign urging Mayor Shirley Franklin to investigate Coffin’s recent dismissal.

Here’s what the group sent out to members via e-mail:

Dear Members and Supporters,

Last week, Senior Arborist Tom Coffin was fired without explanation.

The story was so poignant, that the New York Times picked it up, as well as the Associated Press, Discover Magazine (Blog), Huffington Post, Fort Mill (SC) Times, Columbus (Ga) Ledger-Enquirer and The Examiner.com. See the link to the left for the NYTimes article.

According to sources, the battle has developers and builders on one side and Atlanta’s trees on the other. Coffin cited over 70 violations of illegal tree removal from developers during his tenure. As of today, Coffin has not been told the specific reason for his firing.

Couple this with developers wanting to use TAD funds for projects (on the ballot this November) and the blatant mismanagement of the City, we must wonder what is really happening and why a loyal, City worker was fired with no explanation.

We urge you to email Mayor Franklin, calling for a full investigation into Coffin’s dismissal. The FCTF will pass on more information as we receive it.

Sincerely,
Barbara Payne
Executive Director

Payne forgot to include Franklin’s e-mail address. If you’re so inclined, contact the mayor at sfranklin(at)atlantaga(dot)gov.

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The cost of building nuclear reactors, such as the two new ones Southern Co. has proposed at Plant Vogtle near Waynesboro, is high. Turns out storing the spent fuel generated from the power generators at Yucca Mountain in Nevada will be expensive as well.

From E&E News (subscription required):

DOE has spent $13.5 billion since 1983, and figures to spend $54.8 billion on construction, operation and decommissioning of the [Yucca Mountain] repository; $19.5 billion for transporting the waste — including building the canisters for holding waste; and $8.4 billion for other program activities.

The report notes that the expenses were based on a repository opening date of 2017 — a best possible opening date that Sproat has already said is no longer possible due to budget constraints, which have pushed it to 2020. The lifecycle estimate also does not include the at least $11 billion in liability expenses DOE expects for breaking its contract with utilities to begin taking away the spent nuclear fuel in 1998.

Another possible cost increase could come from the more than 30 planned new nuclear reactors, which were not included in the estimate. Sproat said trying to estimate costs for waste from the new reactors would be speculative and would no longer provide “an apples to apples” comparison with the 2001 report….

(Hat tip to the always informative Joe Romm at ClimateProgress)

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The chair of the state Senate Natural Resources and Environment Committee says he plans to introduce a bill that would give Georgians a financial incentive to buy fuel-efficient automobiles.

Sen. Ross Tolleson, R-Perry, made the announcement today during an “energy independence” rally at the state Capitol. (I’ll write more about the event later today.) No specifics to report at the moment, but Tolleson says the incentive could possibly come in the form of a tax credit when consumers purchase a hybrid automobile.

“What makes this a wise move for metro Atlanta is that it’ll lower the demand for fuel but also improve air quality,” Tolleson says, referring to Atlanta’s notorious smog issues.

But in a slowing economy such as Georgia’s and the nation’s — the state recently announced it’s expecting a $1.6 billion budget deficit — an incentive program could be a difficult sell to fellow lawmakers in January.

Things could get better between now and the start of the General Assembly. But they could also get worse. Regardless, good move by Tolleson.

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Interesting news coming out of Doraville:

Starting February 2009, the city will require all private developments more than 20,000 square feet to be LEED certified. Municipal buildings will have to meet the program’s standards regardless of size.

“With the GM plant redevelopment and so many other revitalization opportunities on the horizon, this is a big step in making sure that we attract high quality developers,” Mayor Ray Jenkins said in a press release.

Neighboring Chamblee passed the same ordinance earlier this year. The two cities are the only ones in the Southeast that require sustainable and energy-efficient buildings within their limits.

“Buildings are second only to transportation in energy consumption,” said Mayor Pro Tem Bob Roche. “Passage of the LEED ordinance will promote profitable buildings in Doraville that are energy efficient, environmentally responsible, and healthy places to live, work and play. My fellow council members, the mayor and our citizens deserve a lot of credit supporting this endeavor.”

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VOTE: No one else is going to, so your vote will count that much more. Click here for CL’s voter guide.

DON’T DRINK THE WATER: A toxin found in Mars’ water dims scientists’ hopes of finding life there.

DOCK BLOCK: More than 2,300 private docks were built in coastal Georgia between 1996 and 2006, and each one can reduce biomass production by 30 percent below it due to blocked sunlight. Researchers are thus studying four types of docks that allow sunlight through.

NEW GRADY CEO: Says changing “the aura” will be the difference at Grady; plans to buy upgraded medical equipment, identify the top 10 financial issues and streamline processes in an effort to attract more insured patients to the beleaguered hospital.

WI-FI IN THE SKY: Delta plans to start offering Wi-Fi on all its domestic flights by next summer, but it’ll cost $10 for three hours or less and $13 for longer flights.

FIELD TRIPS: Georgia schools considering canceling them to save fuel.

TAILS WAGGING DAWGS: Mark Richt discusses the slew of arrested and penalized players this offseason; he and top players echo the line that they won’t be a distraction for long.

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Public Service Commission candidate Jim Powell says his appeal that was originally scheduled for today at 3 p.m. in Fulton County Superior Court has been postponed. Judge John Goger has recused himself because he’s a former law partner of Powell’s attorney. Powell says a new judge will be assigned later today and the appeal should be heard sometime later in the week.

Powell is contesting Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel’s removal of his name from the July 15 primary ballot. He was granted a stay the day before the election and garnered 85 percent of the vote.

To read CL’s coverage of the PSC brouhaha, click here.

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Tom Coffin, a senior field arborist for the city of Atlanta, was fired on July 29 and has released a letter in which he outlines his concerns for the program that has both generated controversy and praise for its efforts to maintain Atlanta’s green canopy.

In a letter addressed to Mayor Shirley Franklin, the Atlanta City Council, the Tree Conservation Commission and citizens at large, Coffin says he was fired after he raised questions about the lack of accountability expected of the arborists and lack of enforcement of the tree ordinance on certain properties.

He also displays graphs that show he was one of the hardest workers the department had. Compared to his colleagues, Coffin conducted nearly double the number of property inspections. And according to graphs produced with information from the agency, his jurisdiction in the northeast quadrant of the city showed the highest number of ordinance enforcement and activities.

And, of course, in addition to enforcement activities I handle one-third of the total field workload in the arborist division. My firing will not increase either the efficiency or the effectiveness of service to the city. Both are likely to plummet.

Of what this all means in the big picture:

My job is certainly important, especially to me. The greater question, however, is the impact of my dismissal on the urban forest that defines Atlanta and greatly enhances the quality of our lives. If the Bureau of Buildings succeeds in this attempt to silence the demands I have been making for accountability to and enforcement of the law, the Tree Protection Ordinance becomes a dead letter, suitable for framing.

A bit of trivia: Coffin was one of the founders of The Great Speckled Bird, Atlanta’s original alt-weekly.

CL is still waiting for a spokesperson from the city’s department of public works, the agency that oversees the arborist’s office, to return a call for comment.

A city spokesperson responded via e-mail:

Mr. Coffin’s termination is a personnel matter and not related to budget reduction. I assure you we have other arborists who are trained and knowledgeable in the tree ordinance who will handle and protect the City’s tree canopy as required by our codes. The Sr. Arborist position will be opened soon and we will hire the most qualified person for the job.

In a phone interview with CL, Coffin said he’ll appeal his dismissal. His full letter is pasted below the jump. To view it as a document with graphs he says support his claims, click here.

(more…)

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DAMMED IF HE DOESN’T: Jimmy Carter revives an old gubernatorial quest of his to prevent three dams from being built on the Flint River.

CARRYING CAPACITY: The Chicago Tribune examines recent revolutions against gun control, from Disney World to Hartsfield-Jackson to the Windy City.

WHAT BROWN CAN DO FOR YOU: Medical College of Georgia researchers identify brown rice’s health benefits.

FALCONS: New running backs Michael Turner and Thomas Brown prepare for the first day of training camp.

SMOG: Bad enough weekday afternoons that experts say exercising then does more harm than good.

ADVANCE VOTING: For runoff elections begins today.

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THIS TIME IT’S PERSONNEL: City Council unanimously passes an ordinance requiring the mayor to get its approval before making additions or reductions to the city’s personnel, the latest in an ongoing melodrama between the council and mayor.

DEER IN HEADLINES: A six-legged deer found in Rome, Ga., is understandably popular.

BUSH: Went down to Georgia.

CHILDRESS: Hawks’ restricted free agent is considering an offer to play in Greece.

RIGHT TO AIR ARMS? U.S. House Homeland Security Committee chairman doesn’t think we should have guns at the airport.

ROCK DRUMMERS: Require at least as much physical endurance as soccer players, according to a recent British study that used Blondie drummer Clem Burke as its test subject.

LOOKS GOOD ON PAPER: Researchers and companies like Xerox are backing away from utopian visions of a paperless society that became popular in the late 20th century, using the phrase “paper-less” instead to focus on the more pragmatic, but less glamorous, goal of simply not wasting as much paper as we do now.

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Jim Powell yesterday said he’s not going to let the legal issues hanging over his head taint the buzz of winning Tuesday Democrat primary for the Public Service Commission’s District 4 seat.

Powell bested opponent Bob Indech 85-15, a surprising feat for someone who’d not only been disqualified the day before, but also reported signs were still hanging at polls on Tuesday wrongly advising voters his race was essentially over.

“I’ve got a lot of folks I need to talk to,” Powell said during a phone interview. “I won the primary. So obviously, I’m going to run my campaign as if I’ll be [on the ballot] in November.”

(more…)

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Pres. George W. Bush today lifted an executive ban on offshore drilling. Kind of snobbish that only CEOs get to drill for oil off the coast, but whatever, I don’t make the rules.

Gov. Sonny Perdue applauds the move and urges Congress to act:

“With record gas prices straining the budgets of many Georgia families, we cannot afford to take any option off the table. It is imperative that we take a balanced approach of conserving, developing alternative energy technologies and increasing the supply of domestically-produced resources. I want to thank President Bush for his action today and I urge Congress to hear the voices of the American people who are asking for relief from our dependence on foreign oil.”

If Congress fails to act, Bush’s order will just go in a file cabinet somewhere.  Whether you’re fer it or agin it, contact your elected official and let them know.

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President George Bush recently attended the G8 Summit in Japan. His kind farewell to other world leaders convinced Americans abroad to continue stitching Canadian flags on their backpacks.

The Telegraph reports, with emphasis added:

The American leader, who has been condemned throughout his presidency for failing to tackle climate change, ended a private meeting with the words: “Goodbye from the world’s biggest polluter.”

He then punched the air while grinning widely, as the rest of those present including Gordon Brown and Nicolas Sarkozy looked on in shock.

Mr Bush, whose second and final term as President ends at the end of the year, then left the meeting at the Windsor Hotel in Hokkaido where the leaders of the world’s richest nations had been discussing new targets to cut carbon emissions.

One official who witnessed the extraordinary scene said afterwards: “Everyone was very surprised that he was making a joke about America’s record on pollution.”

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And they’re not even considering the wind potential off Georgia’s coast. From the office of Gov. George Ervin “Sonny” Perdue:

According to a recent Forbes article entitled “America’s Best Places For Alternative Energy,” the abundance of biomass in Georgia’s Bioenergy Corridor ranks third in the nation as a potential source of renewable energy. The article referenced the amount of privately owned forest in Georgia, more than any other state in the country, as a reason for the state’s ranking. Forbes also cited that “roughly 50 million tons of the state’s own timber end up in the state’s wood-products manufacturing plants every year” and the industry “returns nearly half of it in the form of primary mill wood debris.” Only Iowa and North Dakota ranked higher. Rounding out the top five were Mississippi and North Carolina.

“Georgia’s wealth of natural resources combined with our research institutions and a strong business climate create an ideal environment for the development of renewable energy,” said Governor Perdue. “We appreciate Forbes’ recognition of our ability to develop alternative energy sources.”

…

Georgia is at the forefront of the nation’s development of cellulosic ethanol, a non-food feedstock for the production of ethanol from pine and other wood residuals. Range Fuels broke ground on the nation’s first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plant in Soperton on November 6, 2007. The facility is expected to be operational in 2009. In addition, the state’s research institutions including the Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Georgia and the Herty Advanced Materials Development Center are providing R&D in support of cellulosic ethanol and other renewable energy alternatives.

Full press release follows after the jump.

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