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1) EPA: Alabama Ozone Plan No Good 1. EPA: Alabama Ozone Plan No Good - In a letter to Governor Don Siegelman, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has rejected the Alabama Department of Environmental Management's (ADEM) draft plan to clean up ozone pollution in the Birmingham area. The EPA has given Alabama six months to come up with a better plan. If the plan is not accepted by EPA, further restrictions on industrial development and cuts in federal highway funds could be implemented. According to the American Lung Association more than 250,000 residents in Jefferson and Shelby counties (people with pulmonary problems and asthma; children and the elderly) are vulnerable to unhealthy levels of ozone air pollution. Birmingham has been in "non-attainment" of EPA's ozone standards since the early 90's. 2. Direct Action Creates Green State Employee Support Group - Employees of Alabama governmental agencies that protect the environment now have an ally. For years environmental advocates have witnessed public employees in charge of protecting the environment struggle to do their jobs well, but have been hampered by agency inaction, bias against enforcement of environmental laws, and in some cases intimidation. Direct Action, a new environmental state advocacy organization that was formed this year, has founded a new support program that will provide governmental employees with a way to speak out on environmental issues in Alabama without fear of on-the-job retaliation, and will defend them if they do suffer from such retaliation. This program reaches out to employees of all public agencies charged with protecting Alabama's environment and natural resources, at any level of government. This support program is modeled after PEER - Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (http://www.peer.org) , a national organization that has helped environmental employees throughout the country. For more information about Direct Action and this new exciting program, contact their director, Ansel Strickland at anselstrickland@mindspring.com or 205-251-4775. 3. The Conscious Consumer: Alabamian Starts New Consumer/Enviro Website - Last year at the Southern Environmental Center on the Birmingham Southern College (BSC) campus, I met Mark Berte, a graduate of BSC and the LBJ School of Public Affairs out of the University of Texas. He told me about his interest in consumer and environmental issues and the need to educate people about socially responsible businesses. The vehicle Mark wanted to use to educate people about socially responsible consumerism is the Internet. After extensive research Mark founded the "Conscious Consumer" a newly created nonprofit organization that provides free access to an interactive, web-based database, consumers can search to ensure they are buying from socially responsible businesses. The goal of the Conscious Consumer is to give people the socially responsible information they need to "wake up" to a new way of buying products and services. In this way, consumers' shopping habits will become an important economic tool for societal improvement. I strongly encourage BEN readers to check out the "Conscious Consumer" website during the holiday season at http://www.ConsciousConsumer.org The site is easy to access and use. To learn more about the "Conscious Consumer" and how you can contribute to this innovative new endeavor, contact Mark Berte at: mberte@ConsciousConsumer.org 4. Join Alabama's New Stream Team - A group informally known as the "Stream Team" has formed the Alabama Stream Habitat Restoration Program. The Stream Team is an interagency group consisting primarily of state and federal agencies (NRCS, US Fish and Wildlife Service, ADEM, Attorney General's Office, Dept. of Conservation, Corp of Engineers, EPA etc..). Three nonprofit groups have joined the Stream Team including the Nature Conservancy and Alabama Rivers Alliance. The goal of the Stream Team is to achieve functional mitigation
for stream habitat losses in Alabama through the restoration
of habitat-degraded stream segments across the state. The restored
stream segments will function as stream mitigation banks; ie.,
if onsite mitigation is not feasible at the impact site, then
stream loses may be mitigated offsite by withdrawing mitigation
credits from a stream mitigation bank. The operation of the stream
mitigation banks would therefore be very similar to that of wetland
So why is this important? Currently no state agency presently has statutory authority to "require" mitigation for adverse impacts to stream habitat or stream functions; therefore mitigation obtained through Corps-permitted activities is more or less voluntary. This program can help us ensure that streams throughout Alabama have the opportunity of being restored. For more information about this new and important program contact Jon Hornsby, Environmental Coordinator, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources at 334-242-3420 or e-mail him at jhornsby@dcnr.state.al.us 5. Enviro Newspaper Editorials from Across Alabama - Here are excerpts of a couple of strong environmental editorials that appeared in the Florence Times Daily and the Birmingham News. "... See the green farmland. See the developer see the green farmland. See the green farmland disappear under concrete and asphalt. Progress, we guess is in the eye (or heart) of the beholder. Farmers, of course, not only see fertile crop and grazing
land disappearing, they also see a way of life dying with the
trees and wildlife habitats. To be sure, not all developers are
surly guys in black hats (or evil incarnate, as some people might
believe) and not all development is bad. Indeed, the demands
of a burgeoning population make much development unavoidable,
if not ... Unfettered, unplanned growth, however, isn't progress. It's a death sentence for open lands and wildlife and eventually perhaps, for the "civilized" beings who pay little or no attention to warning signs along the way." - "Going, going, gone" Times Daily editorial December 15, 1999 "...The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has fired yet another shot over the bow of the good ship Alabama, warning that the feds are serious about getting the state to clean up Birmingham's dirty air. ...Jefferson and Shelby counties badly need a vehicle emission inspection program that gets pollution spewing clunkers off the road. A car with a malfunctioning muffler, for example, pollutes many times more than a properly running vehicle. ... The Alabama Environmental Commission, working with Alabama Power, can require cleaner gasoline and cleaner power plants. But a vehicle emission inspection system and money for public transit out of Montgomery will require action by Gov. Siegelman and the Legislature. Efforts in the past legislative sessions to do so have gone nowhere. The state can't afford to keep ignoring these needs." - "EPA warning means it's time to get serious" Birmingham News editorial December 17, 1999. 6. BEN Tidbits: Job Openings and a Straw House - Two job openings and building houses from straw. Just a sampling of this week's tidbits. Watershed Director for the Warrior/Cahaba Rivers This is a one year, contract position-with a renewal option. The position is funded in part by a Section 319 grant from EPA and ADEM under agreement with the Alabama Association of Resource Conservation & Development Councils. Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in science related field. Experience preferred. How to Apply: Qualified applicants are invited to send a letter of application, current resume, a brief response to each of the following Knowledge Skills and abilities listed, a hand written response to the question - "Why do we need a watershed director for the Warrior/Cahaba River?" and three current letters of reference to: Watershed Director Search Committee, c/o CAWACO RC&D Council, Magnolia Office park 220 2112 11th Ave. South Birmingham Alabama 35205-2863 Environmental Education Instructor for the Turtle Point Science Center For a detailed job description call Shirly West at 334-296-3401 (W) or 334-368-5406 Qualifications - Master's degree preferred&/or certification in wildlife biology, demonstrated aptitude or competence for assigned responsibilities, previous experience preferred, valid infield Alabama teacher certificate or willingness to pursue certificate though the Special Masters Degree Alternative Program while working at Turtle Point. If interested mail an application to: Escambia County Board of Education, Attn. Dr. Margaret A. Breland-Bradley, Superintendent, Post Office Box 307, Brewton, AL 36426 Straw Bale & Plaster Workshop Ever wanted to learn how to build a house out of straw? Learn about these natural and environmental friendly techniques at the School of Building Arts "Straw Bale and Plaster Workshop in Gadsden. Please call John Paul Huguley this week to learn more about these traditional styles that are renewable resources. His number is 256-442-3806. 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 We also encourage readers to visit our website at : http://www.BamaNews.com |
