ATLANTA—Today, Georgia Power and the Georgia Public Service Commission Public Interest Advocacy Staff announced an agreement reached behind closed doors to settle how much Georgia’s data center boom will cost customers, shutting residents, small-business owners, and advocates out of the traditionally public process of deciding bill hikes.

Statesboro, Ga. — With support from Georgia Interfaith Power and Light (GIPL), Trinity Episcopal Church in Statesboro, Georgia, has planted a new food forest on its campus, expanding its community garden and deepening its commitment to environmental sustainability. Funded by generous donors and a grant from GIPL’s Four Directions Fund, the project aims to provide fresh produce to the local community, particularly those served by the Statesboro Food Bank, while modeling regenerative land use and climate resilience.

Decatur, Ga. —This Earth Month, North Decatur United Methodist Church (NDUMC) is celebrating a major step toward sustainability with the recent interconnection of its 56 kW solar energy system to Georgia Power’s grid. Made possible through Georgia Interfaith Power and Light’s (GIPL) Solar-Wise program, this project underscores the church’s commitment to environmental stewardship and energy independence while significantly reducing long-term utility costs.

ATLANTA — In the wake of recent cuts to federal environmental funding, over 300 faith leaders from more than 100 congregations across Georgia gathered at Northside United Methodist Church on Sunday, February 23, 2025, for Georgia Interfaith Power & Light’s (GIPL) annual Green Team Summit. The event, themed “Seeding Life,” focused on empowering faith communities to continue to take action on climate change and advocate for sustainable practices in Georgia.

ATLANTA— Today, Georgia Power asked the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) for an extraordinary increase in fossil fuels to supply power-hungry facilities, like data centers, swarming to the state.

Decatur, Ga. — Faith-based environmental nonprofit, Georgia Interfaith Power and Light (GIPL), has awarded over $11,000 to twelve congregations across Georgia to pilot a new ReWilding program for sacred grounds. Sustainable land use is a pivotal and often overlooked climate solution. Projects across these congregations include invasive species removal, vegetable gardens that will supplement food pantries, native plants and pollinators, and rain gardens.

Statesboro, Ga. — Last week, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Statesboro (UUFS) became the second faith community in Georgia to complete a solar installation with Georgia BRIGHT—a first-of-its-kind solar leasing program designed to help low to moderate-income communities cut power bills and carbon emissions. UUFS follows Trinity Episcopal Church, also in Statesboro, which completed a solar installation with Georgia BRIGHT in August 2024.

ATLANTA —The Georgia Environmental Protection Division has revoked the permit amendment of a biomass wood pellet facility after the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), on behalf of Georgia Interfaith Power and Light (GIPL) and Sierra Club, mounted a legal challenge arguing the amendment violated the Clean Air Act.

ATLANTA — Today the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) voted to approve three contracts to burn woody biomass for energy that will result in several billions of dollars in cost overruns, impacting Georgia Power Customers’ bills for decades.

ATLANTA — This weekend on Sunday, Sept. 15, in celebration of World River Day, Georgia Interfaith Power & Light (GIPL), the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta, Ismaili CIVIC, and over 200 local faith leaders have teamed up to act upon a shared ethic of environmental stewardship and cleanup sites at seven major waterways in metro Atlanta: three in DeKalb County, two in Fulton County, one in Fayette County, and one in Gwinnett County.

ATLANTA — In honor of the second anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act, Georgia Interfaith Power & Light (GIPL) is hosting a press conference with Senator Warnock’s office on Friday, Aug. 16, 2024, at Trinity Episcopal Church, Statesboro, to celebrate the congregation’s new solar project made possible by the historic legislation.

ATLANTA — Today the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), on behalf of Georgia Interfaith Power and Light (GIPL) and Sierra Club, is challenging a move by Georgia regulators to allow a biomass wood pellet plant to double its pollution limits without complying with Clean Air Act requirements.

ATLANTA — Today the Southern Environmental Law Center, on behalf of Coosa River Basin Initiative, Altamaha Riverkeeper, Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, Georgia Interfaith Power and Light, the Sierra Club, and others, petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to revoke Georgia’s Partial Coal Ash Permit Program because it allows coal ash pollution of Georgia’s water resources by authorizing disposal of toxic coal ash in the groundwater, in violation of national safety standards.

Decatur, Ga. — As of Wednesday, July 10, 2024, with the help of Georgia Interfaith Power and Light (GIPL), Oakhurst Presbyterian Church in Decatur now has the capacity to produce 20.6 kW of its own power thanks to 51 newly installed solar panels on the congregation’s roof. Visible from the street, these panels are a witness to the church’s work as stewards of Sacred Earth.

Statesboro, Ga.—Last month, with the help of Georgia Interfaith Power and Light (GIPL), Trinity Episcopal Church in Statesboro, Georgia became the first faith community in the state to sign a solar energy procurement agreement (SEPA) with Georgia BRIGHT—a first-of-its-kind solar program designed to help low to moderate-income communities cut power bills and carbon emissions.

ATLANTA — Today the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) approved Georgia Power’s off-cycle request to burn more fossil fuels for energy as they seek to attract more large-load customers, including data centers, potentially exposing residential and small business customers to greater air pollution and bill hikes.

WASHINGTON—Georgia Interfaith Power and Light (GIPL) commends today’s announcement from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) providing new national tailpipe emission standards. People of faith know well the value of being a good neighbor and protecting the vulnerable. 

WASHINGTON—Cumming First United Methodist Church (UMC) in Cumming, Georgia is one of only six national Interfaith Power & Light (IPL) Cool Congregations awarded a $1,000 prize in 2024. This annual contest accepts applications from religious communities across the United States working to address climate change.

Decatur, Ga. — Saturday, Feb. 3 Georgia Interfaith Power and Light (GIPL) hosted its sixth annual Green Team Summit at Oak Grove United Methodist Church (UMC) in Decatur, Georgia focused on climate resilience. Over 230 faith leaders and environmental advocates came together to learn and grow, considering how they might weather the effects of global warming together.

ATLANTA — Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced stronger soot pollution standards following advocacy efforts by faith communities in Georgia. Since 2023, Georgia Interfaith Power and Light (GIPL) has gathered over 700 comments from faith leaders and religiously affiliated environmental advocates urging the EPA to strengthen its ambient air quality standards, also known as soot.