Georgia adopt-a-stream, 2023 Jan./Mar.

AAS Jan-Mar 2023 Newsletter

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January-March 2023 Newsletter
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IN THIS ISSUE:
State and Federal Agencies are Working to Rein in "Forever Chemicals"
Confluence 2023 Keynote: Mary Ellen Hannibal Register for Confluence 2023 Farewell to Bailey Sauls, Adopt-A-Stream State Coordinator Program Updates Riffles Around Us
State and Federal Agencies are Working to Rein in "Forever Chemicals"
Jessica Sterling, Chattahoochee Riverkeeper James Moore, GA Association of Water Professionals

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2/21/2023, 3:52 PM

AAS Jan-Mar 2023 Newsletter

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PFAS (aka "forever chemicals") are a group of over 1,000 man-made chemicals that are resistant to heat, water, and oil. PFAS have been widely used in manufacturing since the 1940's and are used to make carpets, clothing, fabrics for furniture, paper packaging for food, cookware, and other materials that are resistant to water, grease, or stains. They are also used for firefighting at airfields. It is estimated that there are 30,000 industrial facilities including airports and landfills, that may discharge PFAS to surface waters or to wastewater treatment plants.
PFAS are concerning because they accumulate in people and wildlife and have been shown to increase risk of some cancers, interfere with our immune systems, and disrupt fetal development. Because PFAS have been used in many consumer products and they break down very slowly in the environment, virtually all humans and ecosystems have been exposed to them at some point. For example, two PFAS chemicals called PFOA and PFOS were discontinued from use in the early 2000's due to documented health and environmental impacts, but they are still found in water and plant and animal tissue samples today.
Since the impact of PFAS contamination is pervasive across the country, the efforts to manage it must be as well. In October 2021, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its PFAS Strategic Roadmap. The "Roadmap" represents a "whole-of-agency approach" by the EPA that cuts across multiple programs within the agency. The Roadmap is built around the 3 R's - Research, Restrict, and Remediate.
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AAS Jan-Mar 2023 Newsletter

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The research element is important because PFAS are a large, complex family of chemicals. There are many unregulated PFAS chemicals in use today and interactions of some of these chemicals with the biological world are still not well understood.
To keep the problems associated with PFAS from compounding, the next element is to restrict their use where possible. To this end, EPA's Roadmap seeks to "proactively prevent PFAS from entering air, land, and water." Among the goals is to publish recommended ambient water quality criteria for PFAS for aquatic life and human health, designate certain PFAS as hazardous substances, and create monitoring requirements and limits on the quantity of PFAS chemicals discharged under the existing National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).
The final element is to remediate existing PFAS contamination. This means developing methods to detect and measure PFAS in the environment, while developing the means to reducing PFAS in "drinking water and wastewater treatment, contaminated site cleanup and remediation, air emission controls, and end-of-life materials management."
Some of these efforts can already be seen locally in form of Georgia EPD's Interactive Story Map. While Georgia has been monitoring certain drinking water sources for PFAS since 2012, the state monitoring efforts were expanded in 2021 when targeted sampling of public drinking water sources across the state began. For more information on Georgia's efforts to manage PFAS and a summary of the data collected, please visit EPD's PFAS and PFOA Information webpage.
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AAS Jan-Mar 2023 Newsletter

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WPaAstNIsTsueTs O LEARN MORE? CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE PFAS 101 SESSION AT
CONFLUENCE 2023

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CONFLUENCE KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Mary Ellen Hannibal
Author of Citizen Scientist: Searching for Heroes and Hope in an Age of Extinction

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Award-winning writer Mary Ellen Hannibal will give the keynote at Confluence 2023. The author of Citizen Scientist: Searching for Heroes and Hope in an Age of Extinction, Hannibal has participated in and observed biodiversity-focused volunteer projects since 2010. "That's not a long time for citizen scientists," Hannibal says. "A few years back I interviewed folks who had contributed to a Beach Watch program for upwards of 25 years. When people monitor a place over that kind of time, they become deep experts with incomparable local knowledge."
The world of volunteer monitoring, of course, goes well beyond the local to connect to regional, national, and even global efforts. "We are in a tremendous environmental crisis," Hannibal says. "The good news is that people are
2/21/2023, 3:52 PM

AAS Jan-Mar 2023 Newsletter

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SubscribeempowPearesdt Istosuheeslp now more than ever." The even better news is that whileTranslate volunteering can take quite a bit of effort, it pays off in many ways. Hannibal's talk will address the nuts-and-bolts contributions of Adopt-A-Stream to water health in Georgia. She will also talk about the more personal dimensions of citizen science -- how the practice helps us connect to our best selves and creates meaning in challenging times.
About Mary Ellen
Mary Ellen Hannibal is a San Francisco-based writer focused on the environment. Her books include Citizen Scientist: Searching for Heroes and Hope in an Age of Extinction and The Spine of the Continent: The Race to Save America's Last, Best Wilderness. Among other awards, she received Stanford University's Knight-Risser Prize for Western Environmental Journalism and the National Association of Science Writers' Science and Society Award. A frequent speaker, she also writes regularly for publications including Science, the New York Times, and Nautilus. For more information check out her website www.maryellenhannibal.com and TED talk go.ted.com/maryellenhannibal.

Register for Confluence 2023
Registration
Price: $30 for adults, $20 for students, $10 for K-5 grade. Deadlines: Registration closes Friday, March 10th. Must register by Wednesday, March 1st to be guaranteed a conference t-shirt.
Registration includes entrance to all sessions, Saturday breakfas,t and lunch, conference t-shirt (if registered by March 1st), door prizes, and much more! The Friday Social dinner is an additional $20 ($10 for students, $5 for children) and includes dinner, refreshments, and Adopt-A-Stream water-themed trivia. There is an option to bring guests for meals on Friday and/or Saturday for an additional cost.
REGISTER HERE!

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AAS Jan-Mar 2023 Newsletter

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CLICK HERE TO VIEW SCHEDULE AND SESSION DESCRIPTIONS

Location & Lodging Attendees will have the option to stay at Unicoi State Park & Lodge at a reduced group rate. We recommend calling the Lodge at 1-800-573-9659 and using group code 10058 to book your room. There is limited space at the Lodge, so book as soon as possible to ensure you get a room! You can book today at no charge and cancel up to three days before your stay. Additional information can be found on our Location and Lodging webpage.

Travel Stipend Applications A limited number of travel stipends are available for volunteers who are actively engaged in AAS and who are willing to volunteer at Confluence. To apply for a travel stipend, please complete the Travel Stipend Form. The deadline to apply is March 1st, 2023.

AAS Junior Sessions

K-5th grade children of Confluence attendees are invited to participate in a special session designed just for them! This session will feature Project WET activities, guest speakers, live animals, crafts, and a nature hike. Join us for a fun day of learning about our water world! To register your child, click

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AAS Jan-Mar 2023 Newsletter

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Subscrib"eAdd RPeagsist tIrsasnute"sat the end of your registration form. For more informationT,ranslate email Monica.Kilpatrick@dnr.ga.gov.
If you have any questions or problems with registration, please contact us at AAS@dnr.ga.gov.

Farewell, Bailey!

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Bailey, you will be truly missed in the AAS community, but we know where your heart is, part of you will always be with us! Your passion, your whimsical yet fiercely competitive spirit will be remembered. You made your mark with AAS, making considerable improvements to all aspects of our program. Thank you for your contributions and best wishes with your pursuit of higher education at Appalachian State University and in your professional career. All the best!
Harold Harbert Manager, Adopt-A-Stream Program
"Reflecting on nearly four years with this program reveals how much I've grown and developed, professionally and personally, in my time here. I will forever be grateful for the opportunities given, the networks I've become a part of, and my small role in the powerful work AAS conducts. Working with the AAS community has been such a joy and honor; and it makes this transition all the more difficult.
I am so grateful to be able to carry invigorating passion from the Georgia Adopt-A-Stream program and community into my graduate studies at
2/21/2023, 3:52 PM

AAS Jan-Mar 2023 Newsletter

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SubscribAeppalacPhaisatnIssSuteaste University. The AAS community, from volunteers andTranslate trainers to board members, have made a huge impact on me and my future with their guidance, encouragement, and knowledge. The passion this program fosters is so inspiring, and I can safely say that'll I'll always be connected to Georgia Adopt-A-Stream. First, I'm looking forward to adding some little green pins in North Carolina!
See y'all at Confluence 2023, friends!"
Bailey Sauls

Program Updates

Upcoming Workshop Opportunities

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Get certified or recertified in an AAS monitoring program! While virtual options will still be available, in-person workshops are returning for those that feel comfortable attending. You can find workshop opportunities near you on the workshop calendar on the AAS website or contact your local coordinator or AAS@dnr.ga.gov to set up a workshop in your area.
2/21/2023, 3:52 PM

AAS Jan-Mar 2023 Newsletter

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Welcome New Adopt-A-Stream Groups!
These groups monitored for the first time in January-February 2023! Welcome to the AAS team!

MielkeWay

Chatham

AAS Confluence 2023 Adopt-A-Stream's annual volunteer water quality monitoring conference
March 17th - 19th, 2023 Unicoi State Park and Lodge
Georgia Water Resources Conference March 30-31, 2023 Athens, Georgia
Georgia River Network Paddling Trips Various dates and locations throughout 2023 Visit our online calendar for monitoring workshops and AAS events!
If you'd like to become an AAS trainer, please contact the State Office for workshop information.

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2/21/2023, 3:52 PM

AAS Jan-Mar 2023 Newsletter

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Copyright 2023 Georgia Environmental Protection Division, All rights reserved.
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