The number of issues we face may seem overwhelming, and often it feels as though there is nothing we can do. But luckily there are lots of things we can each do to make a big difference.
Part of the strategy we are up against is called “flood the zone”, where the goal is to start so many fires that we are overwhelmed by where to start and end up giving up. But we aren’t giving up. Pick your meme/inspirational quote – but any action we take anywhere makes a difference. It shows that we are not giving up. By taking action you also inspire others to create change.
Below we have outlined many things that you can do. To reduce decision fatigue, we will highlight a single action you can take and rotate that action on a regular basis
So many things we do can make a difference should inspire you. Join with fellow concerned Georgians, take action, and do one or two or as many as you want of the following action steps!
Take Action!
Check out the amazing coverage of EJ Day here:
Georgia environmental groups lay out priorities for 2026 legislative session | WABE | 30 Jan, 2026
Georgians lobby over data centers and environmental impact | Columbus Ledger-Enquirer | 31 Jan, 2026
Some interesting bills on our radar that would be worth a second look and maybe a letter to your legislator:
There is too much happening around data centers – read here for the latest.
Bills that Crossed Over and are still alive:
SB 74 – Criminal charges for librarians to jail if they check-out “inappropriate / harmful” books to minors. If found guilty, librarians could face jail time. In House Rules. If it passes out of the House, it goes to the Gov’s desk for enactment. Read the rubric here.
HB 54 has had an amendment tacked onto it. The original bill is about home health services by licensed registered nurses and physician assistants. The tacked-on amendment prevents minors from having access to puberty blockers. Read the rubric here. The amended version from the Senate has been returned to the House. The House must now agree to their changes.
HB 947 – “Georgia SNAP Healthier Choices Act” – places even more restrictions on SNAP eligibility. House passed it into the Senate.
HB 1118 – This bill provides 80 hours of maternal birth leave. Eligible employees are defined as individuals giving birth to a child. Leave will precede any paid paternal leave. Hourly employees are included if they have worked >700 hours in the six months prior. House passed it to the Senate.
HB 1138 – This bill allows pharmacists to dispense self-administered hormonal contraceptives or administer prescribed injectable hormonal contraceptives to patients above 18. Insurers are also provided a minimum number of certain contraceptives that must be provided. Finally, the bill removes liability for pharmacists providing these contraceptives. Read the rubric here. House passed it to the Senate.
HB 1275 – ensure stem cell therapies that are used to advance medical treatments and improve patient outcomes in an ethical manner that does not involve stem cells derived from aborted fetuses. Read the rubric here. House Passed it to the Senate.
Did not crossover.
HB 1346 – Require insurers to cover maternal mental health screenings. Passed out of committee. In House Rules. Not heard on crossover – essentially dead.
Learn about data centers and the large power generation increase to feed their energy needs. 10 GW! Who is going to pay for all this?
There are multiple data center bills proposed (listed below) that would increase transparency for their needs and ensure that data centers pay for the power they need. Write your legislator about these bills. Below is some suggested language.
As Georgia considers policies to address rapid data center growth, it is critical that we understand the resources they need and that the average Georgian not pay for expensive, water consumptive, utility expansion.
A December 2025 report found that electricity load growth attributed to data centers in the Southeast is likely significantly lower than utilities have projected, consistent with a documented history of demand over forecasting. Proceeding with large-scale buildouts based on these assumptions exposes Georgia ratepayers to unnecessary costs while committing the state to decades of costs, water demands, and infrastructure risk.
If data center companies have to share what they are doing and assume the expansion costs, they will be much more prudent in their energy decisions – which will protect taxpayers and our resources.
SB 34 – If data centers require more power generation, only raise power rates on data centers (not consumers). Bill Rubic. Voted out of committee, tabled by Senate.
SB 94 – Reestablishment of a Consumer Utility Council (CUC – ‘the ombudsmen’). Read more about the bill here. Read the bill rubric here. Voted out of committee, tabled by Senate.
HB 528 – High use facilities transparency act. Requires high resource use facilities to submit annual disclosure reports providing detailed information about their energy and water usage, and the taxes they pay to the state. Read the bill rubric here. Introduced, no hearing.
HB 559 shorten the sunset on data center tax breaks from 2031 to 2026. Read the bill rubric here. Introduced.
SB 37 – AI Accountability Act. Bill rubric. Introduced.
HB 1012 – institute a state-wide halt on the construction of data centers. No local government will be allowed to issue a permit, license or certificate for the purpose of data center construction between July 1, 2026 and March 1, 2027.
SB 408 – shorten the sunset on data center tax breaks from January 1, 2032 to January 1, 2027.
SB 410 – limits the application of Georgia’s data center sales tax exemption such that no new certificates can be issued after the effective date of SB 410. Any certificates issued prior to the effective date will be honored. This addresses the reason Kemp vetoed similar legislation in 2024.
SB 421 – Transparency of resource use – no government body can enter into a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) around data center power and water use.
HB 1063 – Codify into law the current PSC regulations that require data centers to pay their incremental costs.
Check out our Quick Guide to the GA General Assembly to learn how a bill becomes a law, and also what the bill status means.
Learn about our issues of interest.
This session: to encourage growth for all Georgians, our priorities rest on the fundamental tenet of transparent and inclusive decision making.
We have a particular focus on
- energy burden
- data centers
- preventing and addressing environmental burdens
- establishing a state science and technology office
Learn all about writing your legislator here.
Remember:
- Clear.
- Concise.
- Respectful.
- One issue at a time.
- Sign it with your address.
Sample:
Dear Rep X,
I am Vicky Voter, and I live in your district.
I ask you to support <X>. This is important because <Y>
<Tell a personal story as to why this is important.>
Thank you for your time,
Sincerely,
Vicky Voter
123 Main St, Your Town, State
vivky@fakeemailaddress
Learn about cuts to both chronic disease and mental health services.
Write your legislator a letter and ask for restored funding for these vital services.
The holidays are stressful. Maybe even more so when you have to talk to your Aunt Petunia who sits on the opposite end of the political spectrum than you.
You actually can’t just talk about the weather because that might bring up climate change – which can cause fights these days.
But that is okay. You still love Aunt Petunia. Start there. Learn how to communicate with those you disagree with via our handy guide here.
The Impact Map shows where, and what type, of cuts have been made. But what does this mean? What are the consequences? What effects on your life and your community?
Workers Locked out of the Centers for Disease Control (many in Atlanta)
- ~1,600 Impacted by the Reduction in Force (reduced from nearly 2,400 initially)
- 500+ Retirements Processed (April 1 – May 31), including:
- 350+ Voluntary Early Retirement Authority (VERA)
- 180+ Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments (VSIP)
- 400+ Deferred Resignation Program (DRP)
- 400+ Probationary Employees
- Hiring Freeze Until July 15
USAID closing impacts the CDC as well. For example, the divisions working on diseases in other countries (where, for example, many diseases start – COVID, Ebola, etc), are funded in large part through USAID. Because USAID funds are going away those international staff are coming home and funding for them vanishes at the end of this fiscal year.
Over 1.5 million Georgians benefit from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). That’s nearly 15 percent of people living in our state! Recent cuts to this federal program will put the most vulnerable Georgians at risk and shift the cost of assistance to our state government.
The biggest change is to ‘work requirements’ via the elimination of these key exemptions:
- Before, it only applied to adults 18 to 54. Now it is 18-65.
- Before, parents who were responsible for a dependent under the age of 18. Now, it is under the age of 14.
- Before, veterans, homeless individuals, and young adults transitioning out of foster care. Now, all these groups need to meet the work requirements.
The end of the government shutdown means that millions of Georgians will finally get their SNAP benefits hopefully soon. However, this is the month that the One Big Beautiful Bill enacts the above changes. Starting with the 2028 fiscal year, states with an error rate of higher than 6% will start losing federal funding for the program. As of Nov. 1, as the implementation grace period ends, every mistake will be counted.
Learn More!
“A degree from one of USG’s 26 public colleges and universities is a million-dollar deal for graduates and a billion-dollar boost for Georgia,” USG Chancellor Sonny Perdue said. “Students see real returns through higher earnings and better opportunities. Meanwhile, our institutions power Georgia’s economy and help local communities thrive.”
Some good news! ‘It is astonishing’: Congress rebuffs Trump push to slash $33B from health, human services • Georgia Recorder | 6 Feb, 2026
Georgia Tech Climbs to No. 2 University in Federally Sponsored Research Expenditures – Metro Atlanta CEO | 9 Jan, 2026
University System of Georgia’s Economic Impact Increases to $23.1 Billion | Communications | University System of Georgia – 12 Aug, 2025.
The evolution of universities as engines of innovation | Stanford Report – 15 Aug, 2025
Ag Extension and Peach Growers working to better transport Georgia’s peaches for sale: Farmers experiment with turning up the temperature on Georgia peaches – Savannah Morning News | 4 Sept, 2025
How Uruguay ditched fossil fuels for renewables – The Washington Post – 20 Sept, 2025
Kemp orders state spending freeze amid uncertain federal funding – Grice Connect.
From missing FEMA aid, to budget cuts, to lack of funding for food programs – indiscriminate cuts are having a major impact on Georgians. Learn more here.
Things to know about EPA revoking ‘endangerment finding’ | AP News | 12 Feb, 2026
Insurance rates have just skyrocketed, the flu is spiking in Georgia, and we’ve gutted our public health infrastructure.
We are the home to an amazing university system, the CDC, and a thriving biotech industry. The very things that could be saving our health – have less money than ever to combat today’s health problems and prevent future one.
Moderna chair says US assault on science is just beginning | Macon Telegraph | 12 Jan, 2026
News Articles on Losses
SK Battery America Inc. lays off 958 workers at Georgia plant | AP News | 6 Mar 2026
Opinion | The Human Cost of the Trump Administration’s War on Science – The New York Times | 23 Feb, 2026
Harvard Slips on a Global Ranking List, as Chinese Schools Surge Ahead – The New York Times | 15 Jan, 2026
Higher bills, fewer clean energy jobs after one year of Trump | Macon Telegraph | 15 Jan, 2026
National economic headwinds blow through Georgia, though job outlook steady for now | Capitol Beat | 12 Dec, 2025
Georgia’s clean energy boom collides with federal pullbacks | Macon Telegraph – 19 Nov, 2025
Green groups criticize White House as QCells cuts Georgia workers – WABE – 19 Nov, 2025
Georgia has lost $2.9B in clean energy investment in past year, report says – AJC – 22 Oct, 2025
ARC cancels 14 Flint River trail projects, pivots to smaller scale – SaportaReport – 10 Oct, 2025
Seniors in Georgia lose jobs lifeline as federal funds stall for program – The Current – 29 Sept, 2025
NIH budget cuts force US scientists to consider moving abroad – Silicon Valley Business Journal – 15 Aug, 2025
Things can get better.
Trump’s Steep Science Budget Cuts to Be Turned Back by Congress – The New York Times | 10 Jan, 2026
Rep. Carter throws support behind Superfund Research Center | Local News | thebrunswicknews.com – 18 Aug, 2025
How this Ga. water testing and research center was saved from DOGE cuts | 16 Jun, 2025
Facing lawsuit, USDA says it will restore climate change-related webpages | 13 May, 2025
Farmers Sued Over Deleted Climate Data. So the Government Will Put It Back. | The New York Times | 12 May, 2025
Public Pressure Saves Water Monitoring – Science for Georgia
Share your Story!
Share the Good
Sixty Seconds of Science
We are seeking stories of science having positive impacts on society. Please fill in the form below OR consider a sixty second video. Please reach out to amy (dot) sharma (at) sci4ga.org if you’d like to make a video. Video script:
- hook leading question: “What does Gettysburg have to do with science communication” “Did you know worms can fight climate change?”
- I am <insert name here> <insert title here> and i study <5 words max>
- What is the problem your research addresses?
- What is the impact of your research on health, safety, making a living, food, shelter, agriculture, clean air, clean water, curing cancer, (the basics)
Share the Missing
Recent changes have shutoff government monitoring, interpretation, study, and release of data that enables us to understand the air we breathe, the water we drink, the crops we grow, and the food we eat. This impacts your health and safety. This impacts your ability to make a living.
We are compiling a database of what is no longer available, and the impact of that loss. Please share below. We understand in these topsy-turvy times you may be uncomfortable sharing your information. Please only share what you are comfortable with.
Share the Ugly
Is your air safe to breathe? Is your water safe to drink, swim, or irrigate? Is your food safe to eat?
Recent changes have shutoff government monitoring, interpretation, study, and release of data that enables us to understand the air we breathe, the water we drink, the crops we grow, and the food we eat. This impacts your health and safety. This impacts your ability to make a living.
What were you able to do before, that you cannot do now?
Have you or a loved one fallen ill?
Has your livelihood been impacted?
Has your property been damaged?
What services are you no longer able to provide to the community?
Has your area of research been impacted?
What is (or was) the public impact of your research or work?
Did you use a publically available database that is no longer available? Which one?
Please fill out the survey below.
We are collecting information about specific community impacts to provide examples to decision makers. The information you provide will be collated and shared as stories, maps, videos, social media posts, flyers, etc. to inform the public, policymakers, and the press.
We understand that in these times of uncertainty, people are scared to provide personal information for fear of retribution. Please only provide the information you are comfortable with sharing.
FAQs
We will be creating and sharing
- impact stories
- a map of impact locations
- a running list of formerly accessible information
You may be asking yourself what this has to do with science. Valid question. It has everything to do with science! Collecting and interpreting data is a main component of science. Data interpretation is how we predict the weather, issue flood warnings, plan where infrastructure like roads and sewers go, stop illegal dumping, identify sources of food contamination, and effectively treat diseases.
Scientists ask questions, collect data, and then utilize their results to serve the common good. #ScienceMattersHere