Green Groups Receive $100,000 from Environmental Legal Team

December 14, 2007

SavDailyNews.com| The Business Report

(BRUNSWICK, GA) A team of attorneys who last year obtained the largest environmental litigation settlement in Georgia history recently presented several local and statewide organizations with checks totaling $100,000.

Recipients of the funds include the Altamaha Riverkeeper, Georgia Conservation Voters, GreenLaw, Georgia Watch, Glynn Environmental Coalition, Ogeechee-Canoochee Riverkeeper, and Satilla Riverkeeper, among others.

"These funds will support the Altamaha Riverkeeper and the Altamaha Coastkeeper's work to protect our coastal estuary and marsh systems," said Deborah Sheppard, Executive Director of the Altamaha Riverkeeper. "We are fortunate to have attorneys whose skill and dedication created this legal victory which makes LCP accountable for their damage to the Glynn County marshes. Their generous support of our coastal organizations is greatly appreciated."

In November 2006, attorneys Joel Wooten (Butler, Wooten & Fryhofer) of Columbus, Robert Killian (Killian & Boyd) of Brunswick, and John Bell (Bell & Brigham) and Pam James (Pam James Law) of Augusta settled pending cases on behalf of Glynn County and over 200 Glynn County property owners against the Allied/LCP chlor alkali plant in Brunswick, for a total of $50 million plus additional cleanup at the site.

During the 1960's and early 1970's, the plant also used the known carcinogen PCB in chlorine production. Those PCBs have now migrated into the marshes of Glynn and the adjacent Turtle River estuary, and are also found in the fish and shellfish in that area.

The Georgia Environmental Protection Division issued a seafood consumption advisory in 1992 for fish, crabs, oysters and other seafood harvested in the Turtle River estuary after mercury was found in every composite sample of every species. PCBs were also found in several of the samples.

At the time, this was Georgia's only ban against eating fish and shellfish. Mercury is known to interrupt neurological development, and has been linked to birth defects and other behavioral disabilities. "Mercury is a sinister pollutant that has contaminated much of Georgia's fish," said Chandra Brown, Riverkeeper/Executive Director of Ogeechee-Canoochee Riverkeeper. "You can't see it, you can't taste it, and it doesn't make you sick right away. Instead, it builds up in people's bodies and gradually causes serious problems, such as birth defects in unborn children and neurological disorders.

We don't want people to quit eating fish; we want the fish to be safe to eat. Statewide, we must work to stop the pollution at its source and restore our ability to safely eat fish." "Every Georgian has the right to fish that are safe enough to eat," said Jill Johnson, Interim Executive Director for Georgia Conservation Voters. "The best way to cut down on toxic mercury pollution affecting our food and our families is to ensure our state leaders provide funding for and insist upon stronger enforcement of our state environmental protections."

In September, Wooten, Bell and James were awarded the Ogden Doremus Award for Excellence in Environmental Law by GreenLaw in recognition of the landmark agreement. Named after the Honorable Ogden Doremus, a pioneer in environmental law in Georgia, the award recognizes the critical role that attorneys play in protecting Georgia's natural resources. "This team of talented attorneys demonstrated impressive tenacity and resolve in holding this corporate giant accountable for years of environmental degradation to Georgia's coast and its residents," said Justine Thompson, Executive Director of GreenLaw.

"These attorneys filed these case back in January 1995 and began what was an epic twelve-year battle. We applaud their relentless pursuit of environmental justice on behalf of the health of our citizens, and are grateful for their gifts back to the community."