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Augusta resident cites PFAS, life-expectancy data and calls for action on local environmental health
Summary
Michael Dixon told the commission Augusta’s advertised ‘quality of life’ doesn’t match public-health data, cited PFAS contamination and legacy industrial impacts, and urged the commission to prioritize study and funding to address air and water concerns.
At the start of the public-delegation portion, Michael Dixon told the Augusta Richmond County Commission that residents deserve “clean air, clean water, and clean land” and urged commissioners to treat environmental health indicators as a priority.
"Do we, the people, not deserve clean air, clean water, and clean land to live on?" Dixon asked the governing body, citing comparative life-expectancy metrics, higher rates of heart disease and asthma in some districts, and a military study that identified PFAS contamination zones near Fort Gordon and local lakes.
Dixon said some wells remain suspect and that many residents still rely on private potable wells. He argued the city’s promotional materials overstate local health performance and called for additional study, monitoring and funding to address years of industrial and legacy contamination.
Mayor Pro Tem Wayne Guilfoyle and other commissioners engaged with Dixon, asking staff about the roles of the Georgia Environmental Protection Division and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Planning staff and commissioners said industrial facilities must follow existing regulations and acknowledged gaps in follow-up and public engagement on issues such as remediation and monitoring.
Commissioners thanked Dixon for his advocacy and pledged to continue conversations and oversight. No formal policy action or vote was taken during the meeting; commissioners asked staff to continue tracking regulatory and remediation developments and to report back as needed.
The commission did not make any regulatory findings at the meeting; Dixon’s remarks were entered as public comment and drew commitments from commissioners to pursue follow-up information from staff.
