Bham New's John Archibald Writes About Shane Hulsey

A wonderful tribute by John Archibald at the News. Read it here.

BEN Special Passages - Honoring Shane Hulsey

Dear BEN Readers:

Last Friday, Alabama's environmental community lost one of our most passionate advocates, Shane Hulsey. An environmentalist, paddler, husband, and friend, Shane died Friday in a boating accident on the Little River.

As a dear friend of Shane's, Rachel Reinhart wrote to me - "Shane worked to protect and preserve the Cahaba River as Education Director of the Cahaba River Society, reaching thousands of children and teachers with knowledge, skills and boundless enthusiasm. He was a great lover of wild lands and especially of wild rivers. When he wasn't working on rivers, he was playing on rivers across the southeast, an excellent paddler, advocate and friend."

Last night, I stood in line at the Walker Chapel Funeral Home to say good bye to Shane. While I entered the Chapel, there were pictures of Shane lined up in a pew. They were wonderful photos. A couple of pictures showed Shane smiling (and what an infectious smile), walking hand in hand with his wife Alison in a park. There was a funny picture with him dressed up in a costume at what looked like some kind of party. And of course there were pictures of him out on rivers.

River Hero

Among all the photographs, there was one item that caught my eye, that simply summed up my feelings about Shane. It was an award that was given to him by the Alabama Rivers Alliance in 2005 - it was titled "River Hero."

Everyday, Shane revealed and shared to so many of us, the gift of wonder, the gift of our waters and the gift of nature.

He especially shared that gift with children.

Our future.

That is a heroic gift.

That is what made him a River Hero to me and to so many people.

He shared his love of the world. And he did it with great joy.

Thank you Shane.

Best Wishes, Pat Byington BEN Publisher

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The Cahaba River Society has a wonderful tribute to Shane on their website. Funeral details and memorial information can also be found at the site.http://www.cahabariversociety.org

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To help reflect and honor the many gifts Shane gave us, below is a special edition of BEN Special Passages.

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"Now I see the secret of the making of the best persons, It is to grow in the open air, and to eat and sleep with the earth." - Walt Whitman


"But the care of the earth is our most ancient and most worthy and after all, our most pleasing responsibility. To cherish what remains of it, and to foster its renewal, is our only legitimate hope." - Wendell Berry, The Unsettling of America


"If a flower blooms once, it goes on blooming somewhere forever. It blooms on for whoever has seen it blooming." - William Armstrong, Sounder


"But wildness is a hard walk. It is a walk up mountains that makes you hungry and thirsty. There are stones that cut your knees and you fall. There are lions that are real with claws. And they can kill you with little effort. But the air is clean and cool and you can see a long way from those peaks into Tomorrow and back to Yesterday. And Now sits like a butterfly on your outstretched hand." - Teresa tsimmu Martino, from the Wolf, the Woman, the Wilderness


Have you ever noticedClouds can look like fluffy pillows?
Have you ever counted all the stars up in the sky?
Have you ever watched the birds fly by?
Take a look above you.

Squirrels scurry up an oak tree.
See that yellow circle?
That's the sun who gives us light.
Way up high, I think I see a kite.

I wonder 'bout the world above Up there.
No matter where you go, it's everywhere.
Now the sun is setting.
Getting ready for tomorrow.

Soon the moon'll be glowing.
Showing off the moonlight.
Take a look above you.
Discover the view.
If you haven't noticed.
Please do. Please do. Please do.

- Kermit the Frog, It's Not Easy Being Green


"... Praise Thee, wondrous God for the blessed watershed that is Alabama, pliant to man's needs, gracious to his questing spirit. May her sons and daughters not forget Thy bounty, nor fail to deserve Thy benediction through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen" - Alabama's Prayer at the National Cathedral

Bama Environmental News - October 12, 2006 #269

1) Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge Expanded
2) New Mercury Reduction Rules Adopted
3) A New Alabama Sanctuary for Gopher Tortoises
4) BEN Notes: WWF Southeastern Rivers and Stream Support Fund, ACF Seeking Assistant Program Director, 3rd Annual Invasive Plant Symposium, Smith Lake Environmental Preservation Committee's "State of the Lake", Alabama Coastal BirdFest, Alabama Rivers Alliance "River Revival", Black Warrior Riverkeeper Party in Tuscaloosa, 13th Annual Wiese Lecture Series - Dr. Daniel Pauly, AUFA Annual Meeting, American Chestnut Foundation Annual Meeting

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1. Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge Expanded - Last week, the U.S. Congress gave final approval to the Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge Expansion Act. Authored by Birmingham Congressman Spencer Bachus, the bill authorizes the expansion of the Refuge from 3500 acres to 7100 acres.
"Keeping the Refuge pristine for future generations has been one of my top priorities. The creation and expansion of the Refuge are important steps in what needs to be a comprehensive effort to preserve and restore the Cahaba River, " stated Bachus.

In the Senate, Senator Jeff Sessions championed the cause for expansion, securing Senate passage in the waning hours before the end of the Senate session.

2. New Mercury Reduction Rules Adopted - According to the Birmingham News, under new environmental regulations adopted by the Alabama Environmental Management Commission, Alabama's power plants will have to cut mercury emissions from their coal-fired power plants by 20% within the next four years and 70% by 2018.

Mercury is a toxic metal that is released when coal is burned. One in six American babies is at risk from mercury exposure because their mothers have unsafe levels in their bodies, the U.S. EPA found in 2004. Children exposed to mercury before birth can suffer from mental retardation, developmental delays and learning disorders.

U.S. utilities pour about 48 tons of mercury into the air each year. Alabama Power Co. is responsible for about 2.6 tons a year, according to company spokesman Michael Sznajderman. The company does expect to meet the new regulatory deadlines. In fact, one of the plants, the Miller power plant in western Jefferson County, hopes to reduce mercury by 80% by 2010.

3. A New Alabama Sanctuary for Gopher Tortoises - In an effort to stem the declining population of gopher tortoises in Alabama, the Department of Conservation has relocated 10 gopher tortoises to the Wehle Forever Wild Tract, located in Bullock County.

The innovative program helps private landowners relocate tortoises to protected habitat, where state biologists and wildlife experts can monitor and assist in the repopulating effort. The population of gophers continues to decrease in Alabama due to habitat destruction, illegal hunting, predators, disease, forest mismanagement, starvation, road mortality and poisoning.

The use of Forever Wild lands for gopher tortoise habitat and repopulation is another way the Forever Wild program benefits the state of Alabama. To learn more about gopher tortoises contact Eric Soehren at 334-834-4519 or visit http://www.gophertortoisecouncil.org/

4. BEN Notes: WWF Southeastern Rivers and Stream Support Fund, ACF Seeking Assistant Program Director, 3rd Annual Invasive Plant Symposium, Smith Lake Environmental Preservation Committee's "State of the Lake", Alabama Coastal BirdFest, Alabama Rivers Alliance "River Revival", Black Warrior Riverkeeper Party in Tuscaloosa, 13th Annual Wiese Lecture Series - Dr. Daniel Pauly, AUFA Annual Meeting, American Chestnut Foundation Annual Meeting

WWF Southeastern Rivers and Stream Support Fund - The World Wildlife Fund is now accepting applications for it's Southeastern Rivers and Streams Support Fund Grants. The grants range from $3,000 to $5,000. The deadline for submission is October 27, 5PM central time. To receive the full details about the grants, contact Judy Takats at 615-279-1814 or judy.takats@wwfus.org .

ACF Seeking Assistant Program Director - The Alabama Coastal Foundation is seeking a Assistant Program Director. Details about this position can be found at http://www.joinacf.org or contact Cathy Barnette at cathy@joinacf.org

3rd Annual Invasive Plant Symposium - The Land Trust of Huntsville and North Alabama and the Alabama Invasive Plant Council will be hosting their 3rd Annual Invasive Plant Symposium, Friday, October 13th 6:30 to 8 PM at Monte Sano State Park and October 14th, 9:00 to Noon at the Huntsville Botanical Gardens. Both events are free to the public, but please call 256-534-5263 for reservations.

Smith Lake Environmental Preservation Committee's "State of the Lake" - The Smith Lake Environmental Preservation Committee will be holding their Annual Meeting and State of the Lake on October 21st, 9:00 AM at the Bethany Baptist Church on Cullman County Road 201. For more info call Deb Berry at 205-915-8830.

Alabama Coastal BirdFest - Check out one of the nation's largest events celebrating our "friend in the air" - the Alabama Coastal BirdFest , October 19-21. For all the details visit, http://www.alabamacoastalbirdfest.com .

Alabama Rivers Alliance "River Revival" - The Alabama Rivers Alliance will be holding "River Revival" October 22nd from 1:00PM to 6:00PM at King's Bend on the banks of the Locust Fork River. Tickets are $20 in advance, $60 for a car full - and they can be purchased at Deep South Fly Shop, Alabama Outdoors or at http://www.alabamarivers.org . For additional info call Jennifer Rupe at 205-322-6395 ext. 104.

Black Warrior Riverkeeper Party in Tuscaloosa - The Black Warrior Riverkeeper will be holding a benefit on October 26th, 6-8 PM at the Matt Jones Gallery in Tuscaloosa (2320 University Blvd). Tickets are $10. For more info call Charles Scribner 205-458-0095.

13th Annual Wiese Lecture Series - Dr. Daniel Pauly - World-renowned fisheries scientist Dr. Daniel Pauly will be giving a lecture on "Global Trends in World Fisheries" on November 1st, 7:00 PM at the University of South Alabama Mitchell Center in Mobile. For more information call 251-460-7136 or visit http://www.disl.org

AUFA Annual Meeting - The Alabama Urban Forestry Association will be holding it's annual meeting in Montgomery, November 3rd. For more information visit their website at http://www.aufa.com .

American Chestnut Foundation Annual Meeting - The Alabama Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation will be meeting November 4th, 9:00 to 3:00 PM in Huntsville at the Alabama A&M Agricultural Research Center Auditorium. For more info about the meeting call Wayne Boldin at 205-915-2863.

EPA's Strategic Plan

Want to know what EPA's priorities are for the next 5 years? Check out their Strategic Plan at http://www.epa.gov/ocfo/plan/plan.htm

Bham News Op-ed : Cancer Risk and the Environment

Below is an Op-ed I wrote for the Birmingham News. It appeared on October 1, 2006.

ADEM Strategic Plan Means Less Cancer Risk

By: Pat Byington

When I first met Stevie some 13 years ago, he was about as old as my 3-year-old daughter Whitney is today. He was like all of Whitney's little friends - full of joy, wonder and mischief.

About five years later, I saw Stevie again, this time at Children's Hospital in Birmingham. The doctors had saved his life from cancer, but not his leg.

A few years later, I invited Stevie and his mother to the Southern Environmental Center at Birmingham-Southern College. We were waiting for him to slide down the hands-on museum's famous "toilet slide" when we were startled by a clanging noise rolling down from the top of the slide. It was Stevie's artificial leg! Stevie soon followed it down the slide with a broad, infectious smile on his face. He thought it was funny.

Unlike smiles, cancers aren't infectious, but because of an Alabama policy decision, a person is more likely to get cancer here than in many of our neighboring states. There's nothing funny about that.

In 1991, the Alabama Environmental Management Commission adopted a cancer-risk level for rivers and streams in Alabama. The commission was asked to make a simple, but far-reaching, life-or-death policy decision: How many people will the state allow to get cancer as a result of the toxic pollution that industries discharge in the water under permits issued by Alabama Department of Environmental Management? Should we choose 1 cancer in 100,000 people or 1 cancer in 1 million people? One boy like Stevie or 10?

Despite being given the opportunity by the Environmental Protection Agency to adopt a more stringent risk level, the commission, with the support of the Alabama Department of Public Health, adopted a cancer-risk level that was the least stringent. Today, Alabama still has the same 1-in-100,000 cancer-risk level it adopted 15 years ago. Mississippi, Florida and Georgia have all adopted the 1-in-a-million level.

Common sense tells us we should not stand by and let this continue. To better understand these policies, I met with Dr. Jeffrey Roseman, UAB professor emeritus in epidemiology. Roseman taught risk assessment for 20 years and served on the Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry's Board of Scientific Counselors, a federal agency that studies the health effects of pollution. We discussed cancer and pollution, to which he reminded me that along with Alabama's cancer-risk level, many of our environmental and health standards do not address sufficiently chronic diseases, such as birth defects, asthma, and diabetes. They also do not adequately take into account the cumulative health impacts of toxic pollution.

Last July, in response to this issue and many others, the Environmental Management Commission's Strategic Planning Committee unanimously recommended a new draft environmental management strategic plan for the state. One of the cornerstone goals within the plan is to "ensure regulatory standards are most protective of health and environment in the nation based on science and ecological conditions." This goal was developed by commission committee members Dr. Kathleen Felker, a radiologist and a passionate advocate for breast cancer awareness; and Ken Hairston, general counsel for Alabama A&M University, who has been a champion within the commission on behalf of environmental justice.

This Friday, the Environmental Management Commission has an opportunity to move forward the strategic plan and the "most protective" goal, to set into motion a re-evaluation of Alabama's health-based environmental policies, standards and regulations. If adopted, the result will be fewer cancers; cleaner air, land, water; and, most importantly, overall healthier Alabamians.

Now, that would be something Stevie, Whitney and all of us could smile about.

Bama Environmental News - September 28th

1) Auburn Researcher Publishes Ivory-Bill Woodpecker Findings
2) Alabama Aquatic Biodiversity Center To Release Endangered Snails
3) Birmingham Metro Would Fail New Tougher Air Pollution Rules
4) 26 Alabama Mayors Pledge Support in Water War
5) Coastal Cleanup 2006 - The Numbers
6) BEN Notes: Village Creek Renew Our Rivers Cleanup, An Inconvenient Truth Viewing, Solar Home Tour, Weeks Bay 13th Annual Plant Sale, EcoFest 8, ARA River Revival, NEMO Training Workshops

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1. Auburn Researcher Publishes Ivory-Bill Woodpecker Findings - Earlier this week, according to the Mobile Register, Auburn researchers have published evidence that the long thought to be extinct ivory-bill woodpecker has been discovered in the Florida Panhandle.

Researchers said they've had 13 sightings of the ivory bill and some 300 distinctive calls and sounds associated with the elusive woodpecker. The last clear photos of the bird and uncontested proof of the bird's existence date back to the 1930's in Louisiana. In 2005, an announcement was made that the woodpecker was rediscovered in Arkansas. The researchers at Auburn have acknowledged that the evidence is not conclusive, but they have assembled lines of evidence including audio recordings and evidence of some 20 roost cavities in the Choctawhatchee River basin.

Auburn's lead researcher is Geoff Hill, who is considered one of the world's preeminent authorities on bird evolution and coloration. Their research has been published in the online journal Avian Conservation & Ecology. You can find the article at http://www.ace-eco.org

2. Alabama Aquatic Biodiversity Center To Release Endangered Snails - Alabama's new Aquatic Biodiversity Center, a program of the Alabama Department of Conservation plans to release approximately 10,000 juvenile Pilcate Rocksnails into the Locust Fork of the Black Water River in Blount County. The snails are offsprings produced from 160 adult snails collected from the Locust Fork in Jefferson County. This release, will be the first of it's kind of an endangered species, by the new center.

The snail, which requires clean flowing waters has been eliminated from 97 percent of its historic range (which was primarily throughout the Black Warrior River Basin) due to the construction of dams and water quality degradation. If successful, the release may eventually allow for the removal of the Pilate Rocksnail from the endangered species list.

For more information about this new and exciting program, contact Dr. Paul Johnson at 334-683-5000.

3. Birmingham Metro Would Fail New Tougher Air Pollution Rules - According to the Birmingham News, recently released air pollution rules by the Environmental Protection Agency pertaining to particle pollution would place the region in violation of air quality standards. Air quality officials have determined that three Jefferson County air monitors would fail under new tougher rules.

The new limits on particle air pollution is considered important by the EPA because the new tougher standard on particles will keep an estimated 15,000 people a year from dying premature deaths nationwide. EPA predicts the decision to strengthen the standard will cut by half the allowable particulate emissions from smokestacks and tailpipes.

4. 26 Alabama Mayors Pledge Support in Water War - This week, 26 mayors from the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa river basin have pledged in a letter supporting Governor Bob Riley and state congressional efforts to prevent water from being "wrongfully redirected to Georgia" potentially harming the environment and industry.

The letter is in response to the long running water dispute between Georgia, Alabama and Florida.Mayors from the following Alabama cities signed the letter: Alexander City, Ashland, Camden, Centre, Childersburg, Coosada, Dadeville, Fort Payne, Gadsden, Grove Hill, Heflin, Lineville, Lowndesboro, Millbrook, Monroeville, Pratville, Rainbow City, Roanoke, Rockford, Sylacauga, Talladega, Thomasville, Wedowee, Wetumpka, White Hall.

5. Coastal Cleanup 2006 - The Numbers - The initial figures are in, and it looks like another "job well done" for this year's 19th Annual Alabama Coastal Cleanup, which was held earlier this month. The numbers are astonishing.

In Alabama, according to Amy King of the Alabama Department of Conservation, about 40 tons of trash and debris were picked up by 3,700 volunteers at 23 sites in Mobile, Baldwin, Covington, Escambia, Butler and Conecuh counties. Some of the most unusual items... pieces of a dog house and a deflated bounce house.

6. BEN Notes - Village Creek Renew Our Rivers Cleanup, An Inconvenient Truth Viewing, Solar Home Tour, Weeks Bay 13th Annual Plant Sale, EcoFest 8, ARA River Revival, NEMO Training Workshops

Village Creek Renew Our Rivers Cleanup - Come join the Village Creek Environmental Justice Society and Alabama Power's Renew Our Rivers river cleanup program on Saturday, September 30 between 8:00 am to 1:00 pm. There will be live entertainment, a formal program and lunch for all volunteers immediately after the cleanup. Directions to Village Creek: Take I 20/59 West to Exit #121 (Bush Blvd/Ensley) go right off the interstate to Avenue V, which becomes Avenue W. go approximately 1/2 mile north to creek. The tent is located at 11th Street Ensley and Avenue M at the footbridge. For additional info call Dr. Mabel Anderson 205-798-0087 or Alabama Power at 1-800-LAKES11

An Inconvenient Truth Viewing - Didn't get to see Al Gore's documentary about Global Warming in the theaters? Here is your chance to view a free screening of the movie! The movie will be shown on Sunday, October 1st at 7:00 pm. - St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Birmingham 1024 South 12th Street (across from the Alys Stephens Center on the UAB Campus). The screening will be in the Parish Hall and there will be a casual discussion after the film.

Solar Home Tour - The Alabama Solar Collective is sponsoring a local Solar Home Tour in rural Blount County on October 7th starting at 9:00 AM. To register and directions, contact Stephen at 205-429-4120 or email greenworks@juno.com (be sure to write "Home Tour" in the subject line). For additional solar Home Tour sites check out http://www.ases.org

Weeks Bay 13th Annual Plant Sale - Join Weeks Bay Reserve's 13th Annual Native Plant Sale, October 6-8, 8:00AM to 4:00PM each day. For additional information and directions, call Weeks Bay at 251-928-9792.

EcoFest 8 - Please join the Southern Environmental Center for EcoFest 8 - Thursday, October 12th, 6-9 at WorkPlay (corner of 5th Avenue South & 23rd Street) in Birmingham. The live auction will be conducted by Alan Hunter (original MTV VJ fame) and Rick Journey from Fox 6. For ticket information go to http://www.southernenvironmentalcenter.org

ARA River Revival - The Alabama Rivers Alliance will be holding "River Revival" October 22nd from 1:00PM to 6:00PM at King's Bend on the banks of the Locust Fork River. Tickets are $20 in advance, $60 for a car full - and they can be purchased at Deep South Fly Shop, Alabama Outdoors or at http://www.alabamarivers.org . For additional info call Jennifer Rupe at 205-322-6395 ext. 104.

NEMO Training Workshops - ADEM's Nonpoint Source Education for Municipal Officials (NEMO) program is one of the most innovative in the country. If you know a municipal official who would benefit from this program, NEMO is presently registering participants for their 2006 Training Session. The training is scheduled for October 26th at ADEM's Main Office, Room 1201 in Montgomery. For more information, contact Patti Hurley at 334-394-4350.

Back to the Future: Margaret Thatcher on Climate Change in 1989

Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher Speech to the United Nations General Assembly, New York, November 8, 1989** - from the book Speaking of Earth

"But the problem of global climate change is one that affects us all, and action will only be effective if it is taken at the international level. It is no good squabbling over who is responsible or who should pay. Whole areas of our planet could be subject to drought and starvation if the patterns of rains and monsoons were to change as a result of the destruction of forests and the accumulation of greenhouse gases.We have to look forward, not backward, and we shall only succeed in dealing with the problems through a vast international, cooperative effort."

For more info about Margaret Thatcher visit http://www.margaretthatcher.org/

**Note the date

Poor Laws Protecting Environment = Poor Governance

Wangari Maathai Passages from the Nobel Prize Lecture, Oslo, Norway, December 10, 2004

"As we progressively understood the causes of environmental degradation, we saw the need for good governance. Indeed, the state of any country's environment is a reflection of the kind of governance in place, and without good governance there can be no peace. Many countries which have poor governance systems are also likely to have conflicts and poor laws protecting the environment."

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"As I conclude, I reflect on my childhood experience when I would visit a stream next to our home to fetch water for my mother. I would drink water straight from the stream. Playing among the arrowroot leaves, I tried in vain to pick up the strands of frogs' eggs, believing they were beads. But every time I put my little fingers under them, they would break. Later, I saw thousands of tadpoles: black, energetic, and wriggling through the clear water against the background of the brown earth. This is the world I inherited from my parents.Today, over fifty years later, the stream has dried up, women walk long distances for water--- which is not always clean--- and children will never know what they have lost. The challenge is to restore the home of the tadpoles and give back to our children a world of beauty and wonder."

For more info about Wangari Maathai visit http://www.wangarimaathai.or.ke

Bama Environmental News Notes

Mobile Bay NEP Seeking Science Communicator - The Mobile Bay National Estuary Program, which is administratively sponsored by the Dauphin Island Sea Lab (DISL) has an opening for a Science Communicator Position. A Sea Lab Employment Application may be downloaded from the DISL website http://www.disl.org or requested by phone, fax or email. Return application along with three references (two work related) to: David Yeager, Mobile Bay NEP, 4172 Commanders Drive, Mobile, Al. 36615 ph. 251-431-6409, fax 251-431-6450, email dwyeager@mobilebaynep.com

Auburn University Seeking Outreach Associate - The School of Forestry and Wildlife Science of Auburn University is seeking candidates for the position of Outreach Associate/Senior Associate. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, providing professional expertise to provide advanced professional services for outreach activities, projects and programs; identifies project needs/opportunities, develops and delivers proposals, preparing reports; supervises staff. Refer to requisition #21738 and apply on-line at http://auemployment.com , if you need assistance contact Human Resources at 334-844-4145. Review of applications begin after September 18th.

Birmingham Audubon Society Education Program Deadlines - The Birmingham Audubon Society (BAS) offers mini-grants to help fund field trips, classroom speakers, and projects such as school gardens, bird feeding stations and nature trails. Visit the BAS website at http://www.birminghamaudubon.org (and click on grants and scholarships) and you will find an application and contact information. The application deadline is September 30th. If you are a classroom teacher who would like to receive "Audubon Adventures" (for more info about the program go to http://www.audubon.org/edu/aa ), contact Stan and Dana Hamilton at Stan_DanaH@bellsouth.net requesting that you be enrolled in the program. The deadline to notify the Hamiltons is September 15th."

Cahaba by Moonlight" - A special event benefiting the Cahaba River Society - "Cahaba by Moonlight" will held at the Carraway-Davie House Conference Center, September 28th, 6 PM. To learn more about this event which includes an auction and a gourmet menu, go to http://www.cahabariversociety.org

Losing Open Spaces....

The U.S. Forest Service has recently released an impressive 50 page report titled "Cooperating Across Boundaries - Partnerships to Conserve Open Space in Rural America." Some of the finding in the report include:

* Rate of open space loss in the United States per day, in acres - 6,000

* Rate of open space loss per minute, in acres - 4

* Open space loss to development between 1992 to 1997 in square miles - 24,000 square miles, the size of West Virginia.

* Open space projected to be developed by 2020 in square miles - 100,000 square miles, the size of California.

* Amount of private forestland lost to development from 1982-1997, in acres: 10 million.

* Net amount of forest projected to be developed from 1997 to 2030, in acres: 26 million.

The report also includes case studies and potential policy initiative to help address this important conservation issue. To access the report, go to - http://www.fs.fed.us/news/2006/releases/08/open-space.shtml

19th Annual Coastal Cleanup

With the Alabama Annual Coastal Cleanup only one week away, it is important to look back at what kind of effort is needed to pull off this enormous community effort. These figures came from the Ocean Conservancy:

In 2005, 654 volunteers came out to cleanup 131 miles of shorelines and waterways picking up 20,992 debris items that weighed 19,368 pounds.

Some of the top debris items included: Plastic beverage bottles (12.4%), Cigarettes (12.3%), Glass beverage bottles (10.8%), Caps and lids (10.2%), Beverage cans (9.9%), Building materials (9.1%),

69% of the debris comes from shoreline and recreation activities.

To access the Ocean Conservancy's entire report, and to compare Alabama to other states, go to
http://www.oceanconservancy.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=8635

To find out how to participate in the 19th Annual Coastal Cleanup - September 16-19 - visit their website at http://www.alcoastalcleanup.com

6000 Acres a Day and Counting

The U.S. Forest Service has released a new urban sprawl and the loss of Rural Open Space study.

The most stunning figure:

In the U.S. we lose 6000 acres of open space a day

or

4 acres a minute.

Check out the report here.

E.O. Wilson Interview

Great interview in the U.S . News and World Report of Alabamian E.O. Wilson.

Check it out here.

TNC's "Sale of the Century"

Want to learn how the Nature Conservancy purchased more than 700,000 acres, primarily in the Southeast, from International Paper --- read TNC's recent magazine story titled "Sale of the Century".

Oil Crisis - Chicago Tribune Series

A tank of gas, a world of trouble....

Newspaper Editorial Responses to ADEM Draft Plan

As chair of the Environmental Management Commission's Strategic Planning Committee, I welcome editorial support for the draft strategic plan. Here are the latest newspaper editorial excerpts on the subject.

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Huntsville Times

"Challenge for ADEM"

If there was ever a time when Alabama had to sacrifice and degrade its natural resources in order to provide for a sufficient economy, that time has long passed. Today, Alabamians want and deserve an agency that protects human health and the places, urban or rural, where people live and raise their children.

The Times urges the Environmental Management Commission to approve the proposed long-range strategic plan and dispel once and for all the idea that Alabama has its doors wide open to polluters and environmental ruin. Could any sensible person really want something different?

Entire article here

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Times Daily - Florence

"Raising the Bar"

If the Alabama Environmental Management Commission votes to adopt a long-range strategic plan submitted by a standing committee of the commission, the state could become one of the nation's premier examples of how not only to protect the environment, but to run a regulatory agency.

Entire article (you may need to register)

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Montgomery Advertiser

"Strategic Plan Pushes Laudable ADEM Agenda"

Simply put, Alabama needs to do a better job of protecting its air, land and water, striking a responsible balance between the needs of modern society and the proper care for the fundamental resources that sustain us all. A strategic plan for the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, proposed by a subcommittee of the commission which oversees ADEM, is a major step in that direction.

Entire article..

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Alabama Power Wins EPA Lawsuit

Alabama Power won a big case on New Source Review today.

Here is an excerpt from the Birmingham News:

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In her ruling Monday, U.S. District Judge Virginia Hopkins said the company had complied with the Clean Air Act. She said the EPA had a history of air pollution rules that aren't legally enforceable.

"To me, EPA sought ... and still seeks regulation by litigation instead of by notice and comment rulemaking," the judge wrote. "The agency's emissions rulemaking process has been characterized by problems with reviewing courts."

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Rest of the Article....

What is in the Air?

Birmingham News environmental reporter Katherine Bouma examined Jefferson County's toxic air pollution issues in last Sunday's Birmingham News (the story was on the front page).

Here is an excerpt from the B'ham News story:

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Engineers at the Health Department would not have discovered the toxic metal at all if they had not decided to go beyond federal requirements and capture the air in industrial areas to identify more than 100 gases, metals and other invisible chemicals.

"It's a soup out there," said Randy Dillard, air monitoring supervisor. "All that stuff is coming from a multitude of various sources, and it's hard to separate it once it gets out in the air."

Arsenic was only one of the heavy metals found at unsafe levels. Cadmium, nickel and manganese also were trapped in the monitors. The Health Department also found 14 gases, including benzene and formaldehyde, at high levels.

Health Department scientists are confident they will be sitting down with industry leaders soon to explain which of their chemicals are harming the public and must be removed from their emissions. If all goes well, the air could be cleaned up within two years.

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The good news - It looks like Jefferson County Health officials are "going beyond federal requirements". In the process of doing so, they found several heavy metals and gases at unsafe or high levels. As a result, they are addressing a potential health problem. That's encouraging.

You can read the rest of the story here and here.

Oil Crisis Series Part 3

Read Part 3 of this amazing series of articles on America's addiction to oil and the global ramifications. Read it here.

AEMC Strategic Plan Goals

On Friday, the Alabama Environmental Management Commission's Strategic Planning Standing Committee released to the Commission and the public it's recommended Draft Strategic Plan. Here is a list of the plan's 13 goals.

* Secure and Increase Stable Funding for ADEM

* Continue Strategic Planning Steering Committee Oversight and Accountability

* Continue Personnel Standing Committee Evaluation of the ADEM Director

* Increase Public Input

* Improve AEMC and ADEM's Relationships with the Public and Legislature

New Policy Goals

* Factor Environmental Justice into ADEN Programs

* Ensure Regulatory Standards are Most Protective of Health and Environment in the Nation based on Science and Ecological Conditions

*Increase Compliance with Issues Permits

* Expand Pollution Prevention Initiatives and Waste Reduction/Recycling Measures

* Review and Upgrade Notification Measures

* Enhance the State's Brownfield Program

* Update the 1991 Solid Waste Management Plan

* Review Emerging Environmental Management Issues

Read the entire AEMC Draft Plan by going here.