Environmental Hazards |
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Our GoalThe goal of our Sustainable Newton Environmental Hazards Committee's is to ensure a safe and sustainable environment for residents and workers in Newton County. We monitor reporting from government agencies, nonprofit environmental and public health organizations, and the media to detect when conditions exist that could threaten public health by contaminating our air, water, or soil.
We work to keep Newton County residents and local officials apprised of incidents that warrant monitoring or further action. When appropriate, we also comment publicly on proposed changes to legislation, rules making, monitoring, reporting, and other governmental oversight. |
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It Started with Ethylene Oxide
The precursor to our Environmental Hazards Committee was formed in 2019, when investigative reporting revealed federal agencies had detected unsafe levels of ethylene oxide (EtO) near commercial sterilizers around the country, where the chemical was used to sterilize medical equipment. The reporting, published in WebMD, was based on findings from a 2018 US Environmental Protection Agency "National Air Toxics Assessment" (NATA), flagging 109 census tracts across the country where cancer risks were elevated due to exposure to airborne toxins -- primarily ethylene oxide. Three of those tracts were in Georgia. One was in Covington.
In their article, journalists Brenda Goodman of WebMD and Andy Miller of Georgia Health News reported that: "The report [NATA] estimated that around Smyrna, ethylene oxide causes about 70 of the 114 extra cases of cancer for every million people exposed over their lifetimes. In Covington, it estimated the gas causes about 170 of 214 cases for every million people exposed. The EPA considers the cancer risk from pollution to be unacceptable when it tops 100 cases for every million people who are exposed to a chemical over the course of their lifetime."
Goodman and Miller also shared data they received in response to an information request sent to the Georgia Department of Public Health:
In their article, journalists Brenda Goodman of WebMD and Andy Miller of Georgia Health News reported that: "The report [NATA] estimated that around Smyrna, ethylene oxide causes about 70 of the 114 extra cases of cancer for every million people exposed over their lifetimes. In Covington, it estimated the gas causes about 170 of 214 cases for every million people exposed. The EPA considers the cancer risk from pollution to be unacceptable when it tops 100 cases for every million people who are exposed to a chemical over the course of their lifetime."
Goodman and Miller also shared data they received in response to an information request sent to the Georgia Department of Public Health:
People who live in the 30014 ZIP code are diagnosed with more cancers than residents in Newton County overall and in the state as a whole. In 30014, there were 527 cases of cancer diagnosed for every 100,000 people, compared with an average of 474 cases of cancer diagnosed for every 100,000 people statewide. The difference between the cancer rate in 30014 and the state is statistically significant, meaning that the increase is not likely due to chance alone.
Rates of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of cancer linked to ethylene oxide exposure, have recently been higher in the 30014 ZIP code, compared with the Georgia average.
Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma rates have been rising an average of nearly 7% each year from 2007 to 2016 in this ZIP code. The increases are statistically significant, according to public health officials.
-- "From Residents Unaware of Cancer-Causing Toxin in Air" by Brenda Goodman, MA & Andy Miller in WebMD, July 19, 2019
Rates of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a type of cancer linked to ethylene oxide exposure, have recently been higher in the 30014 ZIP code, compared with the Georgia average.
Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma rates have been rising an average of nearly 7% each year from 2007 to 2016 in this ZIP code. The increases are statistically significant, according to public health officials.
-- "From Residents Unaware of Cancer-Causing Toxin in Air" by Brenda Goodman, MA & Andy Miller in WebMD, July 19, 2019
After reports circulated in Covington, concerned citizens pressured state agencies and local officials to investigate further. When the City of Covington paid a contractor to measure air around the Becton Dickinson (BD) plant and found ethylene oxide present in levels above maximum allowed levels in October 2019, the Mayor contacted to the State Attorney General, who obtained a court order forcing the plant to shut down and implement remediation. Another temporary/partial shutdown occurred in December, due to elevated levels around warehouses used to store products treated with EtO.
Sustainable Newton volunteers joined with groups of concerned citizens to press for transparency in reporting and increased air quality monitoring around the BD factory and warehouse locations. Through our blog, we commended City of Covington officials for their actions and expressed our support for additional measures to protect public safety.
EtO remains an ongoing concern. In July of 2025, President Trump issued an executive order exempting the BD plant in Covington and the Sterigenics plant in Smyrna from complying with stricter EtO emissions standards imposed during the Biden administration. In January 2026, Sustainable Newton joined the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), the National Resource Defense Council (NRDC), and other environmental non-profits to file suit in the US District Court for the District of Columbia. That suit is ongoing.
Sustainable Newton volunteers joined with groups of concerned citizens to press for transparency in reporting and increased air quality monitoring around the BD factory and warehouse locations. Through our blog, we commended City of Covington officials for their actions and expressed our support for additional measures to protect public safety.
EtO remains an ongoing concern. In July of 2025, President Trump issued an executive order exempting the BD plant in Covington and the Sterigenics plant in Smyrna from complying with stricter EtO emissions standards imposed during the Biden administration. In January 2026, Sustainable Newton joined the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), the National Resource Defense Council (NRDC), and other environmental non-profits to file suit in the US District Court for the District of Columbia. That suit is ongoing.
BioLab Fire Was Another Wakeup Call
When the BioLab chemical plant in Conyers caught fire on September 29, 2024, prevailing winds pushed the potentially toxic smoke all over metro Atlanta -- including in Newton County, where schools and businesses were temporarily closed to avoid exposure. Our Sustainable Newton Environmental Hazards Committee, along with other local groups, were in touch with federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state Environmental Projection Division (EPD) officials to monitor threats to public health and to encourage transparency.
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anchor: DataCenters
Data Centers Are the Newest, Biggest Threat
In recent years, our most pressing issue has been responding to active data center projects in the community, while also working with local governments to get ahead of future proposals with sound laws and policies that promote transparency and hold developers accountable for environmental, economic, and social impacts of data centers.
A Data Center and a Power Plant Too!?
With electricity demand from AI data centers growing dramatically faster than the capacity local electric utilities can provide, data center hyperscalers are turning to alternative solutions for off-grid, "behind-the-meter" power, often using diesel of methane gas-fired engines. This approach has massive environmental and public health impacts for local communities. One early example was the xAI data center in Memphis, which made headlines and attracted lawsuits since the summer of 2025. Unfortunately, a Houston-based energy company, VoltaGrid, is building a similar "pop-up" power plant in Covington, to generate 90 megawatts (MW) of electricity for a collocated data center operated by the company Serverfarm.
VoltaGrid applied to the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) for an air quality permit in November 2025, seeking approval to install and operate 33 reciprocating internal combustion engines at a first-of-its-kind-in-Georgia facility on Hazelbrand Road in Covington. The power plant is intended to operate for roughly 24 months, until Georgia Power can supply grid-connected electricity. Because methane-fired electricity generation emits a number of dangerous pollutants, Sustainable Newton joined with the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) and Altamaha Riverkeeper to file Public comments with the Georgia EPD's Air Division concerning VoltaGrid's application for permit and EPD's Draft permit. We also submitted our own separate comments on the draft permit.
Our groups recently made headlines in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and were featured in local TV newscasts, when we submitted aerial photographs and other evidence to EPD on June 25, showing VoltaGrid and Server had both begun installing pollution sources without the required final permits. The agency subsequently sent notices of violation to both companies and ordered VoltaGrid to "stop all remaining construction of air pollution emissions sources and/or control equipment until such time that an air quality permit is issued."
VoltaGrid applied to the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) for an air quality permit in November 2025, seeking approval to install and operate 33 reciprocating internal combustion engines at a first-of-its-kind-in-Georgia facility on Hazelbrand Road in Covington. The power plant is intended to operate for roughly 24 months, until Georgia Power can supply grid-connected electricity. Because methane-fired electricity generation emits a number of dangerous pollutants, Sustainable Newton joined with the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) and Altamaha Riverkeeper to file Public comments with the Georgia EPD's Air Division concerning VoltaGrid's application for permit and EPD's Draft permit. We also submitted our own separate comments on the draft permit.
Our groups recently made headlines in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and were featured in local TV newscasts, when we submitted aerial photographs and other evidence to EPD on June 25, showing VoltaGrid and Server had both begun installing pollution sources without the required final permits. The agency subsequently sent notices of violation to both companies and ordered VoltaGrid to "stop all remaining construction of air pollution emissions sources and/or control equipment until such time that an air quality permit is issued."
A Pop-Up Power Plant & Data Center Make Big News in Covington
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In parallel with our communications with Georgia EPD, pushing back on the air permitting for the VoltaGrid and Serverfarm projects, Sustainable Newton has also joined SELC and Newton County property owners to file a petition with the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) asking them to determine if VoltaGrid's intended sale of electricity to Serverfarm is even legal in Georgia. As reported in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, that petition has resulted in the PSC voting unanimously to open a docket and hold a hearing on our petition.
Working with Local Governments to Protect Our Community
We take seriously our commitment to protect the community from harm and will use every regulatory and legal avenue to hold these data center developers and energy companies accountable. But, we also believe these incidents are an important learning opportunity going forward -- one our elected officials should use to strengthen community protections in local ordinances governing data center development and operation. For example, Sustainable Newton worked closely with the City of Covington Planning and Development staff, the city's planning commission, and the mayor and council to enact new data center ordinances that were adopted by the council on August 17, 2026. Below are replays of the discussion and vote, as well as comments from our President Maurice Carter following the vote.
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Taking a Stand for Transparency and Accountability
On July 7, 2026, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a federal rule change that would eliminate requirements for states to notify the public and invite comments regarding air permitting for new or modified minor pollutions sources. While not eliminating public participation at the state level, it would no longer by mandated by federal rules governing air permitting. Without public notice and an opportunity to comment on permit applications and draft permits for VoltaGrid and Serverfarm, Sustainable Newton would never have been in a position to file our comments pointing out issues with those applications and draft permits. We would not have been able to notify EPD of the violations cited at the Hazelbrand Road site, and we would not have been able to petition the PSC to rule on the legality of VoltaGrid's plans.
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For all of these reasons, Sustainable Newton has opposed this rule change through all of the following venues/avenues:
Follow More in Our Sustainable Newton Blog
For a further recap of recent events and our activities related to local data center projects and the ordinances our local governments have in place to protect our community, check out all of the data center-related posts in our Sustainable Newton Blog.
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See Our Blog for News About Data Centers in Newton County
Aside from the pollution associated with powering data centers, and the potential for raising consumer utility bills, the other issue is water usage. We have also met with Mike Hopkins, Executive Director of the Newton County Water & Sewerage Authority to benefit from his experience working with Meta on multiple data centers in the Stanton Springs Industrial Park. Mike has been collaborating with Meta, successfully negotiating water usage and advancing water management technology, since they first broke ground in 2018. What's important, however, is that our municipal governments apply the same rigor and upfront negotiating that has made NCWSA successful with Meta.
In 2024, Sustainable Newton toured the NCWSA's Arthur Scott Emmons Water Reclamation Facility in Stanton Springs, which was built to reclaim and treat industrial waste water for reuse in Stanton Springs.
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Find out what actions you can take.
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Environmental Hazards Actions You Can Take
Monitor our social media sites and email newsletters for opportunities to write elected officials and government agencies regarding proposed policy, rule, or legislation changes.
Pass along important information we share to your family, friends, and neighbors.
Communicate to your elected officials the importance you place on the health and wellbeing of your family and your expectations that they be protected from harm.
Learn about the "Triple Bottom Line" and let business know you do not accept them making a profit at the expense of people and planet.
If you have a background in medicine, public health, and environmental monitoring, join our committee to help us translate material to share with the general public.
Pass along important information we share to your family, friends, and neighbors.
Communicate to your elected officials the importance you place on the health and wellbeing of your family and your expectations that they be protected from harm.
Learn about the "Triple Bottom Line" and let business know you do not accept them making a profit at the expense of people and planet.
If you have a background in medicine, public health, and environmental monitoring, join our committee to help us translate material to share with the general public.
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Our Other Committees:
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