May 6, 1999
1) Alabama Environmental Legislative Update
2) Birmingham Childhood Lead Workshop Draws Attention
3) Southern Environmental Center's "Triple Play"
4) State Briefs: Vestavia Nature Trail/Post Office Fight- Flint
River
Clean-Up - Coastal Conservation - Locust Fork River Festival -
Calling of
the Tribes
5) Follow the Money - Alabama's Congressional Delegation
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"A man who has lost his sense of wonder is a man dead."
- William of Saint Thierry
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1. Alabama Environmental Legislative Update - Another victory
for Clean Air
occurred Wednesday (May 5), when the Senate Commerce, Transportation
and
Utilities Committee (CTU) passed out favorably SB 464 (sponsored
by Sen. EB
McClain of Birmingham) the vehicle emission inspection legislation.
Both
Vehicle Inspection bills (the House bill is 538) are now ready
for a floor
vote in each chamber. If you care about clean air call your local
legislator
at 334-242-7800 (Senate) or 242-7600 (House).
State Parks Bill Introduced - State Senator Tom Butler of Madison
has
introduced SB 456, a bill that creates the Alabama State Parks
Improvement
Corporation. The bill would enable the state to sell and issue
bonds to
carry out the much needed renovations and improvements for our
state parks
system. Alabamians overwhelmingly empowered the state to carry
out this task
by passing the State Parks Bond Constitutional Amendment in November
of 98.
State Environmental Policy Act Introduced - Ever wonder why
we do not have
environmental impact statements performed on potentially environmentally
destructive projects in Alabama? It's because Alabama does not
have a law.
State Rep. Sue Schmitz of Limestone/Madison has introduced HB
727, bill to
require state agencies to consider the environmental consequences
of their
proposed actions. The bill is modeled after the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) which has been federal law since 1970. For more
information about this bill, please contact Joe Turnham, Driector
of Ala-Leav
at 877-ALA-LEAV or e-mail him at joeturnham@aol.com
2. B'ham Childhood Lead Conference Draws Attention - Did you
know ? Childhood
lead poisoning is the number #1 environmental health threat facing
U.S. ;
One out of every Eleven children (ages 0-6) tested for lead has
elevated
blood lead levels (EBLL); the health impacts of lead poisoning
include brain
damage, decreased hearing, hyperactivity and learning difficulties;
And last
- it is all preventable.
On May 8th (10-2) at the New Hope Baptist Church in Birmingham,
there will
be a Lead Workshop for concerned families. Nationally renowned
speakers will
be giving presentations, free lead testing for children will be
provided and
invaluable information about lead poisoning and how to protect
your
community will be made available. Please call me, Pat Byington
for
directions and more information. The number is 205-226-7739 or
e-mail me at,
pkbyington@aol.com
3. Southern Environmental Center's "Triple Play"
- Some fascinating
activities are happening at The Southern Environmental Center
(SEC) at
Birmingham Southern College.
In honor of the conclusion of baseball's first month, here is
the "triple"
they pulled off in the past few weeks.
First Base - Pride In Print Award - The SEC will be featured
in a full-page
ad in the Birmingham News as part of the regional "Pride
In Print"
competition. The ad which was designed by Jesse Lewis & Associates
won 2nd
place and is the only environmentally related non-profit organization
to
receive this honor in 1999.
Second Base - Tire Shreds and Art? In Monday's (May 3) Birmingham
News,
artist Randy Gachet's "crows" made from scrap tires
found along Alabama's
roadsides is featured in an wonderful article written by News
environmental
reporter Val Walton. The "crows" are on display at the
Southern
Environmental Center's Interactive Museum.
Third Base - The beginning of May means the start of "Ozone
Season" in
Alabama. The SEC in partnership with the Jefferson County Health
Department
is distributing Eco Badge Smog Patrol Educational Kits to children
throughout
Jefferson and Shelby counties (adults can use them too!). To learn
more
about this exciting eductional program call Roald Hazelhoff at
205-226-4934.
4. State Briefs - Here is a rundown on some issues and activities
occurring
across Alabama.
Vestavia Nature Trail/Post Office - There is a big battle brewing
in Vestavia
Hills over a proposed post office distribution center to be located
in the
center of town. The opponents of the center are objecting to the
destruction
of a natural area, increased traffic and the loss of educational
opportunities (the local school and Boy Scouts were planning nature
trails).
For more information about this issue e-mail Jennifer Fairley
at
edatg@mindspring.com or call 978-0778.
Flint River Conservation Association (FRCA) Cleanup - Join
the folks at FRCA
(near Huntsville) on Saturday May 8th for their 2nd Annual Cleanup
and
Fundraiser. The cleanup begins at 8 a.m. and ends at noon. From
Noon to
6:00 there will be some live music, good food, a Civil War Re-Enactment
Program and the raffling off of a canoe. For more info call Dr.
Cyndi
Schmitt at 256-837-5282.
Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) Crawfest! - The Coastal
Conservation
Association will be holding their spectacular Crawfest at Zamora
Temple in
B'ham on May 14th at 6:00. Tickets cost $85 a couple and includes
a
membership into CCA, subscrption to Tide Magazine and all the
crawfish and
beer you can hold. For more info, e-mail enviroguru@hotmail.com
or call
Roger at 205-222-3806.
Locust Fork River Festival - As announced in the previous BEN
- don't forget
the Locust Fork River Festival on May 8th! Visit their website
at :
http://www.SWMA.COM/FLFR/
Calling of the Tribes - The North Alabama Sierra Club will
be hosting a
"Calling of the Tribes" picnic on May 23rd at Monte
Sano State Park. The
purpose of the event is to attempt to develop a network of friends
and
activists on environmental issues and activities throught North
and Central
Alabama. Please RSVP to aid the Sierra Club in setting up the
event. For
more info contact Nat Berry at natberry@yahoo.com or call 256-461-8107.
5. Follow the Money: Alabama's Congressional Delegation - Who
paid for the
1998 Congressional Campaigns in Alabama? Check out -
http://www.opensecrets.org/states/index/AL.htm
by The Center for Responsive Politics.
Find out who the top contributors (which not only includes
monies directly to
candidates but also soft money to the parties) are in Alabama.
For example
last election cycle ALFA Mutual Insurance topped the list giving
$532,000
(Alabama Farmers Federation came in 3rd with $209,847). Candidate
profiles,
with detailed accounting of where they received their money, are
also
available.
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
