February 20, 1999
1) ADEM Drafts 3 Bills - Enviros Not Invited to Review
2) Spotlight: WRATT - A Successful Alabama Program
3) ADEM Website - A Must For Green Activists
4) B'ham Area Chamber to Push For Cleaner Air
5) AEC Selects New Executive Director
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Another Memorable Quote:
"Living wild species are like a library of books still
unread. Our heedless
destruction of them is akin to burning the library without ever
having read
its books." - Rep. John Dingell of Michigan
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1. ADEM Drafts 3 Bills Without Enviro Input - The Alabama
Department of
Environmental Management (ADEM) has been drafting 3 critical pieces
of
environmental legislation since September 1998 without input from
the Alabama
environmental community. Meanwhile, ADEM has sought comments and
input on
the legislation from numerous business and governmental associations.
The proposed legislation includes the following proposals:
1) Creation of a "state" Superfund program
2) Creation of a Hazardous Sites Reuse and Redevelopment (Brownfields
Redevelopment) Program.
3) Enable ADEM to establish a program to encourage voluntary cleanup
of
hazardous sites
Despite a meeting with ADEM's leadership, at a Montgomery quarterly
meeting
in January, leaders in the environmental community were only informed
about
ADEM's push to increase their funding for 1999-2000 this legislative
session.
It was not until this week (Feb. 15) that leaders in the environmental
community learned about the proposals.
What makes ADEM's apparent "snub" all the more disappointing
is the potential
support the 3 bills could receive from the environmental community.
There is
an old saying in Montgomery - If you someone won't share you their
bill and
keeps you in the dark about it - there must be something wrong
with it and
you should oppose it. Let's hope ADEM will seek input from the
environmental
community on these 3 important
issues.
2. Spotlight: WRATT Foundation - In 1990 the Waste Reduction
and Technology
Transfer (WRATT) Foundation was founded in Muscle Shoals Alabama.
A national
"force" in the waste reduction movement, WRATT is a
not for profit
organization staffed by dedicated retired engineers and scientists
with
extensive industrial experience in waste reduction. WRATT provides
free,
confidential, non-regulatory, non-compliance waste reduction assessments
geared at helping small to medium sized companies that cannot
afford waste
reduction assessments. In 8 years this innovative non-profit group
has
racked up some very impressive and tangible results. Check out
some of the
comments and figures from a recent survey:
* "Vulcraft is saving over $550,000 per year by implementing
WRATT's
recommendations." Jim Campbell, VP Vulcraft Corp.
* With 72 companies responding to a recent survey - WRATT waste
reduction
assessments have saved them $8,056,000
* Twenty-two (22) companies reported reducing 36 tons of waste.
* Eight (8) companies reported reducing 79 tons of hazardous waste
* By the end of this year WRATT will perform its 800th assessment
since 1990
on Alabama companies and governmental operations.
* The state of Michigan has modeled the WRATT Program.
* There are currently 56 WRATT retirees in Alabama and 37 in Michigan
specializing in over 100 different areas of expertise.
For more information about this creative organization please
contact them at
1-800-766-4701 or visit their website at: http://www.bcet.org/wratt.htm
3. ADEM's Website: A Must For Activist - Want to know
when ADEM is going to
hold a public hearing on air pollution? Who at ADEM do you contact
about
groundwater pollution problems? This is just a sampling of the
questions you
can have answered at the ADEM's website. Catagories at the site
include ADEM
News, Rules and Regulations, ADEM Contacts, and Calendar Events
(which
includes public hearings). People concerned about Alabama's environment
and
ADEM's activities should have this site bookmarked. You can visit
it at :
http://www.adem.state.al.us/
4) B'ham Area Chamber To Push Clean Air Bill - The Birmingham
Area Chamber of
Commerce announced its plans this week to help clean up Birmingham's
air by
pushing for legislation requiring mandatory vehicle inspections.
The
legislation is aimed at solving the region's growing ground level
ozone air
pollution problem. Along with auto inspections, the Chamber has
called for
cleaner fuels and has led voluntary community activities aimed
at reducing
ozone air pollution.
5) AEC Selects New Exective Director - The Alabama Environmental
Council has
hired Diane Scanland of Aurora, Colorado to be its new Executive
Director.
She will be starting the job on March 1.
Diane has a very strong non-profit and public interest background
from
Colorado and Orlando, Florida. She has been a director of foundation
and
corporate support, and a consultant and trainer for non-profit
groups
specializing in board training, resource development, volunteer
administration and special events. Most importantly, she has a
deep passion
for the environment.
On a more personal note: As the Council's former Executive
Director and a
member, I encourage everyone to join me in welcoming and supporting
Diane to
this very important position within Alabama's environmental community.
You
can email Diane (after March 1) and the Council at
watchdog@alenvironmentalcouncil.org
or call her at 205-322-3126.
Please share BEN with friends and fellow conservationists.
If you have any questions about BEN, contact Pat Byington at
205-226-7739 or pkbyington@aol.com
