1. ADEM Honors 2002 Pollution Prevention Winners - Last month, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) announced the winners of this year's 2002 Pollution Prevention Awards. The following is a listing of the categories and winners.

2002 Directors' Award in Pollution Prevention - Presented to Alabama businesses and industries that have demonstrated leadership and commitment to wise management in protecting the environment and public health through pollution prevention (P2). Recipients of the Directors' Award have implemented facility-wide written P2 plans and have demonstrated the environmental benefits of pollution prevention techniques and practices.

The 2002 winners:

Olin Corporation - McIntosh
Alabama Occidental Chemical Corporation - Mobile
Occidental Chemical Corporation - Muscle Shoals

2002 Achievement Award in Pollution Prevention - This award is presented to Alabama businesses an industries that have demonstrated leadership and commitment to wise management in protecting the environment and public health through pollution prevention. This award does not require a written facility-wide P2 plan.

The 2002 winners:

Ciba Specialty Chemical Corporation - McIntosh
GE Plastics - Burkville

Some pollution prevention examples:

Occidental Chemical Corporation in Muscle Shoals has reduced 675 tons of hazardous solid waste, 19 tons of non-hazardous waste and water usage by 2.9 million tons through pollution prevention projects.

GE Plastics has reduced its Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) emissions by 81.5% over the last five years. The facility invested approximately $3.5 million in projects to yield a direct 37.5 % reduction, while an additional $125,000 was invested for training and behavioral modifications to yield the additional 44% reduction.

For more information about ADEM's 2002 Pollution Prevention Award Program, contact Gavin Adams at 334-394-4353.

2) Nature Conservancy Saves Pitcher Plant Habitat - An endangered, carnivorous plant found only in Alabama gained new protection last month with the purchase of 163 acres in the sandhills of Autauga County by the Nature Conservancy of Alabama.

The acquisition of the tract from International Paper has almost doubled the size of the Nature Conservancy's Roberta Case Pine Hills Preserve. The preserve which was established 2 years ago, protects the federally endangered Alabama canebrake pitcher plant.

The canebrake pitcher plant is one of Alabama's and the world's rarest species, known to occur only at fewer than 20 locations in three Alabama counties. Pitcher plants are unique in that they are carnivorous, meaning their survival depends on nutrients provided by decaying prey. Insects are lured into the plants tube like leaves by an odor the plant emits, then become trapped and succumb to the plants digestive juices.

For more information about this exciting and important new land acquisition, contact the Nature Conservancy of Alabama at 205-251-1155.

3. "Environment" Makes Mobile Register's Top 10 List - Like many editorial boards across Alabama, the Moblie Register announced its top 10 resolutions for 2003. Coming in 10th on this year's list was "Protecting the Environment."

In an editorial published this week, the editorial board stated that it "remains focused on protecting air and water quality, and on preserving the natural environment." Coming in 7th on the list of resolutions was the "Cleaning up - literally - Prichard's sewer system, " and 3rd on the list, "Stop talking about tax reform and constitutional reform and start doing something."

4. Mobile Bay Watch Wins Pollution Monitoring Award - Mobile Bay Watch has secured $150,000 in federal funds to create a water quality database for Mobile County. Under the terms of the federally funded contract, Bay Watch will construct a database designed to provide the public with quick access to all reliable information on water quality and pollution discharges in Mobile County.

According to the contract, users will be able to monitor "the quality of their favorite swimming and fishing hole" and help track the source that may be responsible for any pollution dischargees. The project will store in one place, information about discharges and water quality that previously had been located in several offices across the state. For more information about this new project visit the Mobile Bay Watch website at http://www.mobilebaywatch.org

5. Alabama Power Recognized For Coosa River Cleanup - On December 6th, Alabama Power was honored by Keep America Beautiful, a national anti-litter organization, for its "Renew the Coosa" river cleanup program.

In 2000, Alabama Power helped launch Renew the Coosa in Etowah County, after employees from the Plant Gadsden became concerned about the amount of litter and debris found in and on the banks of the Coosa River. What began as a small community restoration project has now grown into a region-wide cleanup program that includes six Coosa river lakes, as well as lakes on the Black Warrior and Tallapoosa rivers.

Today, the "Renew the Coosa" campaign involves 1700 volunteers including Alabama Power employees. This year alone more than 142 tons (284,000 pounds) of debris was removed from the river system. For more information about this outstanding program visit the Alabama Power website at
http://www.southerncompany.com

6. BEN Notes - Land Trust Seeks Development Director, Groundwater Guardians, Ruffner Mtn. Announces 2003 Schedule, Alabama Coastal Foundation Cypress Tree Planting Project

Land Trust Seeks Development Director - The Land Trust of Huntsville and North Alabama is seeking a full-time Fund Development Director. The position is responsible for acquiring funding for the Land Trust from corporations and businesses including memberships, fundraisers and programs that will strengthen funding. The director is also responsible for marketing and publicity. For more information about this position call the Land Trust at 256- 534-5263.

Groundwater Guardians - Groundwater Guardian is a program of the Groundwater Foundation, a private non-profit educational organization that informs and motivates people to care about groundwater. Many communities host Groundwater Festivals to help educate students and the public about groundwater. For more information on the Groundwater Guardian program and Groundwater Festivals in Alabama, contact Enid Probst, ADEM at 334-271-7953.

Ruffner Mtn. Announces 2003 Schedule - Nature lovers can learn about trees, flowers, birds and butterflies at Ruffner Mountain Nature Center's Saturday programs in 2003. Upcoming January events include:

January 11th, 10 a.m. "Trees in Winter" program
January 18th, 9 a.m. Marty's Mondo Mines Hike-reservations recommended
January 25th, 10 a.m. Orienteering Workshop - reservations required

For more information about Ruffner Mountain events, call 205-833-8264 or visit their website at http://www.ruffnermountain.org

Alabama Coastal Foundation Cypress Tree Planting Project - The Alabama Coastal Foundation (ACF) is sponsoring the 3rd Annual Cypress Tree Planting on February 1st. They are planting trees at 15 separate sites in the coastal area. If you are interested in "sponsoring" trees or volunteering, call ACF at 251-990-6002 or email cbarnette@alcoastalfoundation.org. For additional information about this event visit http://www.alcoastalfoundation.org.