|
1) Gov. Siegelman's Address to the Commission
on Environmental Initiatives
2) Alabama Commission on Environmental Initiatives
Remaining Public Hearings
3) Grand Bay National Wildlife Refuge To Receive
$1.5 Million
4) ADEM Receives Grant to Help Restore Wetlands
5) BEN Notes: Programs at the B'ham Botanical
Gardens, "WRATTS Wanted", Tensaw Point EcoTour Company,
Blount County Groundwater Festival, Smith Lake Cleanup, Don't
Forget EcoFest 2000
*********************************************
A Special Message From Pat Byington, Publisher
of BEN
For the past 2 1/2 years I have been working out of
the Southern
Environmental Center (SEC) on the Birmingham Southern College
campus. The
SEC is a very special place. It is home to an interactive environmental
education museum and the "Ecoscape Gardens," a beautiful
outdoor classroom,
filled with native plants, art and coming soon a treehouse. Last
year, more
than 20,000 children toured the SEC (if you have ever called
me you probably
heard many of them outside my office door!). The place educates
and inspires
children, students and yes, even us grown-ups everyday. It is
truly an
Alabama treasure.
On Tuesday, October 10th, the SEC will be holding its 2nd Annual
"EcoFest" in
Birmingham at the Southern Progress Building from 6:00 until
9:00. There
will be food, entertainment and a live auction.
Over the past year people have asked me, "How
can I support BEN?" Supporting
the SEC and attending EcoFest is your opportunity to help a group
that
enables me to write and publish BEN every week. I invite all
BEN readers to
attend this special fundraiser and celebration. Tickets are $50.
For
additional information contact the SEC at 205-226-4934 or write
BEN at
pkbyington@aol.com .
If you cannot attend, but would like to send a donation,
please send it to the Southern Environmental Center at Birmingham
Southern
College, 900 Arkadelphia Road, Birmingham, Alabama 35254. SEC
is one of the
three nonprofit organizations I will be asking BEN readers to
support this year.
I deeply appreciate your readership and support.
"To the dull mind nature is leaden.
To the illumined mind the whole world burns and sparkles with
light."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
*********************************************
1. Gov. Siegelman's Address to the Commission
on Environmental Initiatives - For the first time in recent
memory, an Alabama governor has made a comprehensive speech on
Alabama's environment. On August 25th, Governor Don
Siegelman addressed the newly formed Alabama Commission on Environmental
Initiatives (ACEI), outlining his vision for the commission and
Alabama's environment. The following text is a reprint of that
speech:
THE GOVERNOR: First, I want to thank you for serving on the
Environmental Commission.
From the Tennessee Valley to the white sandy beaches on the
Gulf of Mexico lies the most beautiful land on earth. God created
a special place - our home, Alabama.
The natural heritage, natural beauty and natural wonders of
Alabama are unparalleled among the 50 states.
We've been blessed with vast stretches of wilderness from
the Bankhead national Forest to the deepest gorge east of the
Mississippi - located at Little River Canyon - and the unique
ecosystem of the Mobile Delta and Mobile Bay.
And from the state's highest peak - Cheaha Mountain, you can
stand and see several states but none with the beauty comparable
to that we have in Alabama.
Our beautiful lakes and waterways have given birth to rare
and exotic wildlife and wildflowers.
The natural heritage, natural beauty, and natural wonders
of Alabama are unparalleled among the 50 states - and we are
making strides to keep it that way.
Last year we purchased 47,000 acres of land in the Mobile
Delta - the largest purchase of land in the state's history -
to preserve this special ecosystem and home to endangered and
unique species.
On May 5th this year, I was honored to open Cathedral Caverns
in North Alabama as a State Park. And on May 30th I was proud
to announce a joint effort with the Army Corps of Engineers to
reverse ecological changes in Mobile Bay by elevating portions
of the causeway.
Alabama has also been blessed with unparalleled economic development
and quality job growth in the past 19 months.
And while we continue our efforts to attract new businesses
to Alabama that bring with them high paying and high quality
jobs - we will not compromise the protection and preservation
of our environment and natural heritage.
During my Listening Post Tour, I heard from people about a
lot of issues. And one that was clearly on the minds of Alabamians
at every stop was the environment.
I heard from people concerned about the quality of water.
I heard from people concerned about the quality of air and about
levels of PCB contamination.
I heard from people concerned about the health of their children.
I heard from people who want to preserve the beauty, natural
resources, and natural heritage of this state.
I heard from people who want trash cleared from their waterways
and roadways, and from people who want better state parks and
expanded wilderness areas.
I heard from people who want Alabama out of the top ten in toxic
air emissions and toxic water discharges.
All of you were asked to serve on this commission because
you bring special expertise and unique perspectives in business,
the environment and conservation. But most importantly - all
of you have Alabama's best interest at heart.
Meeting the goals that have been set is vital if Alabama is
to ensure the protection and preservation of our natural resources
- and to continue our economic prosperity.
The goals include:
1. Developing air and water standards
2. Protecting our fish and wildlife
3. Moving Alabama off of non-attainment lists
Economic growth in Jefferson and Shelby counties is hindered
because of ozone non-attainment status - and just last week the
area faced more ground level ozone violations.
This has resulted in an estimated loss of $4.6 billion dollars
in capital investments in 1990's.
Eleven other counties are predicted to join Jefferson and
Shelby on the non-attainment list by 2002.
4. The commission will identify environmentally sensitive
areas and develop strategies to protect them.
5. And the final priority is to move Alabama from the top
ten in toxic air emissions and toxic water discharge by the end
of 2004.
Alabama has turned the corner and we are headed in the right
direction.
We've changed education in Alabama for the better and we've
changed it forever.
We have laid the foundation for dramatic economic development
and quality job growth.
And we have made strides to protect our natural heritage and
natural resources.
This commission has the opportunity to now push that success
even further to ensure we protect and preserve the Alabama we
all love. Again, thank you.
2. Alabama Commission on Environmental
Initiatives Remaining Public Hearings - If you have not attended
an Alabama Commission on Environmental Initiatives (ACEI) public
hearing, time is running out. The first 7 meetings have been
attended by more than 1000 people. Here are the dates and places
for the final 5 meetings. (Note: All meetings start at 6:00)
October 5th - Dothan - Dothan City Commission Chambers
October 9th - Guntersville - Guntersville State Park
October 10th - Huntsville - Calhoun Community College, Huntsville
Campus
October 12th - Anniston - Anniston City Meeting Center
October 23rd - Mobile - Government Plaza Building
For more info about ACEI and the public hearings, contact
Jacksonville State University's Environmental Policy and Information
Center at 256-782-5681.
3. Grand Bay National Wildlife Refuge To
Receive $1.15 Million - Senator Richard Shelby's office announced
this week, that under a compromise version of the Interior Department's
appropriation bill, the Grand Bay National Wildlife Refuge would
receive $1.15 million for land acquisition in the new fiscal
year.
In a prepared statement, Shelby said he was pleased the Appropriations
Committee agreed to add money to the refuge. "Grand Bay
supports the nation's largest and least disturbed wet pine savanna
ecosystem." stated Sen. Shelby in the October 3rd edition
of the Mobile Register.
4. ADEM Receives Grant to Help Restore
Wetlands - It is great to hear about state interagency partnerships
that protect the environment.
This month, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management
was awarded a $440,000 federal grant to help restore wetlands
in coastal Baldwin County. The grant, which will be administered
jointly with the State Lands Division of the Alabama Department
of Conservation and Natural Resources, is primarily aimed at
protecting and restoring wetlands in the Mobile Tensaw Delta,
Weeks Bay and Perdido Bay. ADEM and the State Lands Division
will partner with several federal, state and local agencies to
accomplish the goals of the project.
The effort will focus on the identification of wetland areas
in need of restoration or enhancement, the development of a restoration
plan and a wetlands public awareness/education campaign. The
new wetlands campaign fits nicely with many of the private efforts
of local groups, and with theAlabama Forever Wild Program, which
bought more than 47,000 acres of land last year within the Mobile-Tensaw
Delta.
5. BEN Notes: Programs at the B'ham
Botanical Gardens, "WRATTS Wanted",Tensaw Point EcoTour
Company, Blount County Groundwater Festival, Smith Lake Cleanup,
Don't Forget EcoFest 2000
Programs at the B'ham Botanical Gardens - Want to learn
about the Fishes of the Cahaba River? Join biologist Dr. Bob
Stiles of Samford University on an all-day field trip organized
by the Birmingham Botanical Gardens (BBG). The event will be
held Oct. 21. For more information about this and the many BBG's
fall workshops and event, contact Ella Robinson at 744-4925.
"WRATTS Wanted" - The Waste Reduction and
Technology Transfer (WRATT) Foundation is looking for a few good
"WRATTS. WRATT is a nonprofit group that uses retired engineers
to perform waste assessments for various Alabama
industries. WRATT is seeking potential assessors in southeast
Alabama. They will be holding Basic Training Workshop for future
"WRATTS" in Ozark, Alabama from October 29 to November
3rd. Interested WRATTS should contact Earl
Evans at eevans@tva.gov for
additional details.
Tensaw Point EcoTour Company - The Mobile Tensaw River
Delta has an adventure waiting for you! From spotting wading
birds to alligators, the Tensaw Point EcoTour Company runs a
variety of guided canoe trips into the Mobile Tensaw Delta. Located
on the scenic Mobile Bay Causeway, please contact this exciting
Alabama ecotourism company at 334-625-0339 or tensawpointecotourco@hotmail.com
for more details.
Blount County Groundwater Festival - Join ADEM, the
Blount County Cooperative Extension Service, the Blount County
Board of Education and the University of Alabama at Huntsville
for the first annual Blount County Groundwater Festival to be
held Friday, October 6th from 8 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. at Wallace
State Junior College. More than 600 fourth graders and teachers
are expected to attend this interactive and innovative education
festival. More than 10,000 students have attended ADEM's Groundwater
Festivals since 1998. For more information about these creative
events contact ADEM at 334-271-7700.
Smith Lake Cleanup - The Smith Lake Preservation Committee
will be holding its annual Smith Lake Cleanup Saturday Oct 7th.
in Cullman and Walker counties. To participate call Debbie Berry
at 205-823-0015.
Don't Forget EcoFest 2000 - Just another reminder :
The Southern Environmental Center at Birmingham Southern College
will be holding its 2nd Annual EcoFest on October 10th, 6 to
9 at the Southern Progress Building in Homewood (near Samford
University). Tickets are $50 a person. Proceeds go toward the
SEC's many environmental education programs. For more information
about the event call - 205-226-7740 or send a check to the Southern
Environmental Center, 900 Arkadelphia Road, Birmingham, Alabama
35254.
*********************************************
Please share BEN with friends and fellow conservationists.
If you have any questions or comments about this publication,
contact Pat Byington, the author and publisher of BEN at 205-226-7739
or pkbyington@aol.com
To receive back issues of BEN, please go to our website at: http://www.BamaNews.com
|
