May 22, 1999
1) Alabama Senate Passes Pro-LWCF Resolution
2) ABC Evening News Exposes Tenn-Tom Boondoggle
3) Land Trust of Huntsville Given 240 Acres
4) Huntsville Times Produces "Smart Growth Series"
5) National Fishing Week/State Parks Video/Outdoor Alabama
6) Sierra Club Benefit in Birmingham
7) Scrap Tire Bill Needs One Last Push
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1. Alabama Senate Passes Pro-LWCF Resolution - The Alabama
State Senate
unanimously passed Thursday (May 20) a resolution calling for
full and
permanent funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).
Founded in
1965, LWCF funds have been responsible for the creation of hundreds
of parks,
trails and nature preserves across Alabama including Ruffner Mountain
Nature
Center in Birmingham, Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, Little
River
Canyon National Preserve and local and state parks in almost every
county in
the state. Since 1965 more than $92 million dollars has been spent
on Bama
projects. The resolution was sponsored by State Senator Roger
Bedford. For
more information about LWCF and how you can support LWCF in Alabama,
contact
me, (Pat Byington) at 205-226-7739 or e-mail pkbyington@aol.com
2. ABC News Exposes Tenn-Tom Boondoggle - On May 6th
, ABC Evening News
produced a scathing and powerful "Your Money" expose
entitled the
"Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway: Billion Dollar Boondoggle".
Friends of Earth,
an international environmental group, has posted the ABC News
story on their
website - http://www.foe.org
, which can be played by most current
computers with REAL VIDEO software. It's a strong story with some
scenes
from Alabama documenting the history and current state of the
$$ billion
dollar 234 mile waterway.
3. Land Trust of Huntsville Given 240 Acres - Here is
a story about a
progressive land use plan in the city of Huntsville. The city
on Thursday
(May 20) agreed to buy 800 acres in the Bob Lane area to build
a much needed
industrial park. Now, instead of developing all 800 acres, the
city will be
setting aside 240 acres on the west slope of Wade Mountain for
open space.
Two additional greenways ( including one from Johnson High School)
will
evenually tie into the area. Another bonus: the city is donating
the
preserved land to the Land Trust of Huntsville and North Alabama.
For more information about this new development that is incorporating
open
space and recreational values contact the Land Trust at 256-534-5263.
4. Huntsville Times Produces Smart Growth Series - In
a series of articles
this week, the Huntsville Times examined the many adverse environmental
impacts that accompany explosive urban "growth". Here
are some interesting
statistics that were taken from this well written series of articles
by Times
staff writer Mike Salinero.
Public Health: Madison County is averaging 1600 new septic
tanks a year.
Last year the county health department documented 305 septic system
failures.
And that is just the ones the department knew about because residents
had to
put in new field lines and have them inspected.
Agriculture: Lost farmland in Madison County due to urbanization/sprawl.
In
1987 there were 235,478 acres of farmland. In 1992 - 224,370 acres.
In 1997 -
210,455.
Forests: Lost forestland in Madison County due to sprawl. In
1982 there were
198,000 acres. In 1990 (latest figures), the forest in Madsion
decreased 5%
to 187,000.
Read the entire articles on Madison County's explosive growth
at:
http://www.al.com/news/huntsville/May1999/19-e23072.html
and
http://www.al.com/news/huntsville/May1999/19-e16440.html
5. Fishing Week/State Parks/ Outdoor Alabama - Anglers
across the country
will be celebrating the 20th Annual observance of National Fishing
Week -
June 5-13. Alabama's Game and Fish Division will be designating
June 5th as
"Free Fishing Day in Alabama" to help introduce nonanglers
to the sport of
fishing and to remind former anglers of the fun fun they've been
missing.
Exemption of the usual fishing license requirement for residents
and
nonresidents will be statewide on June 5th, but some lakes may
still require
permits and fees and owner's permission is required on private
ponds. For
more info contact Game and Fish at 334-242-3628 or http://www.gofishing.org
State Parks Video - Two new videos of Alabama's 24 State parks
are now
avaiable for viewing by clubs, school groups and other interested
parties.
The videos may be checked out for use with any of the state parks
or through
the central office in Montgomery. For more details contact Carl
Scardina in
Mongomery at 334-242-3154.
Outdoor Alabama Magazine - Last week I picked up the new Spring
1999 edition
of Outdoor Alabama which is produced by the Department of Conservation
and
Natural Resources. It is a great publication with some absolutely
stunning
photography. To order a subscription to Outdoor Alabama just e-mail
DCNR at
alaoutdor@dcnr.state.al.us
or call 1-800-262-3151.
6. Sierra Club Benefit in Birmingham - The Cahaba Group
of the Sierra Club
will be holding a "Environmental Tablescapes and Silent Auction"
Saturday
June 5th 7:00-10:00 at the Vestavian Room (lower level Vestavia
Civic Center
Hwy 31). Tickets are only $5 - and that bargain will get you free
hors
d'oeures, beverages and a chance to bid on some great silent auction
items.
Come out and support a wonderful environmentally active group
in the
Birmingham area. For more info call 205-680-9263.
7. Scrap Tire Bill Needs One Last Push - Make a contribution
toward cleaning
up Alabama - call your Lt. Gov. Steve Windom (334-242-7900), Senate
Pro-Tem
Lowell Barron (242-7800) or your local senator at 242-7800, and
ask them to
support H-378 the Scrap Tire bill. This bill will help Alabama
address our
serious illegal dump crisis. Please make calls to your elected
officials by
Tuesday morning (May 25).
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
