1. Controversial PCB-Contaminated Military Equipment Coming To Alabama - According to an Anniston Star published report, tons of controversial PCB-contaminated equipment collecting dust in U.S. military warehouses overseas will begin arriving in Pell City this week.

The tainted equipment which is owned by the U.S. military, has been stored in Japan and Wake Island. News of the shipments shocked elected officials from city hall to Capital Hill according to the Star, who reported that they were kept in the dark about the plan to take the equipment to Alabama. The officials included the mayor of Pell City and Senator Richard Shelby.

Japan wants the tainted equipment of obsolete electrical transformers, capacitors and other items deported, but there have been no foreign takers. Public outcry in 2001 stopped attempts to bring the waste to a treatment plant in Canada.

According to a military official the first shipments of the PCB contaminated equipment will be loaded later this week into Air Force C-17 cargo planes for nonstop flights to Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery. The planes will be refueled in midair to avoid interruptions in their flights to Alabama. From Montgomery, the cargo will be trucked to Trans-Cycle Industries, a hazardous disposal facility in Pell City.

2) Jefferson County First In Nation To Meet Environmental Standard - For the last three years, employees from upper management all the way down to those on the shop floor have been working together to implement an Environmental Management System (EMS) for departments under the Jefferson County Commission.

An EMS is a way to evaluate and document policies and procedures to make them as efficient and environmentally sound as possible. Jefferson County's EMS has led to improvements ranging from reduced water and power use to standardized oil recycling procedures to soy-based ink being introduced at the County Print Shop. For example, in 2002, Jefferson County saved more than 701,000 kwh of energy. By 2005, Jefferson County will eliminate all organo-phosphates used for pesticides.

As a result of Jefferson County's leadership, the County has become the first of the country's 3,066 counties to become registered to the ISO 14001 Standard, which is an international "measuring stick" used by outside, third party auditors to recognize an EMS as being appropriately implemented.

To learn more about this "first in the nation" program, contact Mike Higginbotham, Jefferson County Department of Environmental Protection at 205-325-8712.

3. Land Trust of Huntsville Surpasses 3000 Acres - In the late 1980's the Huntsville City Council created the Huntsville Land Trust. Over time, as a result of an ever broadening mission the organization changed its name to the Land Trust of Huntsville and North Alabama.

Last month, the Land Trust passed the 3000th acre mark in property it has helped preserve. The Land Trust's most recent land acquisition came from a 120 acre land donation by Dr. John Wisda. The land touches the eastern edge of Monte Sano State Park. In addition to the new acquisition, the Land Trust owns 800 acres on Monte Sano, mostly on the slope that overlooks downtown.

For more information about the Land Trust and its progress, visit their website at http://www.landtrust-hsv.org or call 256-534-5263.

4. State Opens Alabama Quail Trail - Alabama has the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, a Bass Trail and now it has the Alabama Quail Trail.

Organized by wildlife groups including the Alabama Wildlife Federation, the trail consists of 19 hunting preserves, camps and lodges across the state. Organizers hope to capture the growing nation wide interest in quail hunting. In Alabama alone, surveys show that some 14,000 quail hunter live in the state and spend more than $1,616 each year on the pursuit.

To learn more about new Alabama's Quail Trail, visit their website at http://www.alabamaquailtrail.org

5. BEN Notes - American Hiking Society Seeks Southeast Director, Discovering Our Heritage Educator Position, WaterQuest 2003 and Nonpoint Source Watershed Forum 2003, Legacy Environmental Partnership Conference 2003, Smart Growth Seminar, Black Warrior Riverkeeper Website, Wilderness Society Southeast Office Hires New Director

American Hiking Society Seeks Southeast Director - The American Hiking Society (AHS) is seeking a Trails Programs Director to catalyze and support the development of an inter-connect regional network of footpaths in the Southeast - in the states of Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. The program director will also open up AHS's new office in Chattanooga, Tn. To learn more about the AHS Program Director position, visit their website at http://www.americanhiking.org/inside/jobs.html

Discovering Our Heritage Educator Position - The Alabama Cooperative Extension Service is seeking an Extension Educator to carry the Discovering Our Heritage Program, an environmental education program developed by the Alabama Wildlife Federation and the Alabama Collaborative for Environmental Education. Responsibilities include but are not limited to building relationships with clientele, conducting environmental education programs and presentations, developing and submitting grant/contract support and planning and marketing the program.

To be considered, candidates must submit a resume, three letters of reference, official college transcripts and letter of application that includes an explanation of experience. For an application visit http://www.aces.edu/hr or call Warren McCord at 334-844-4451.

WaterQuest 2003 and Nonpoint Source Watershed Forum 2003 - The state's largest meeting concerning water regulatory and quality issues will be held on February 4-5, 2003 at the Birmingham Marriott Hotel. This two day meeting is conducted simultaneously by the Business Council of Alabama and the Alabama Department of Environmental Management. Any user of an Alabama waterway should be at this meeting. EPA Administrator Jimmy Palmer and ADEM Director James Warr are scheduled to speak. Governor-elect Bob Riley has also been invited to make an address. For information, contact David Roberson at 334-240-8725 for Water Quest and Molly Tatum at 334-394-4360 for Nonpoint Source Watershed Forum. For more details, visit http://www.bcatoday.org

Legacy Environmental Partnership Conference 2003 - One of Alabama's most informative environmental education conferences is the Legacy Environmental Partnership Conference. This year's event will be held February 19-21, at the Grand Hotel in Point Clear, Alabama. The deadline for room reservations is January 19th, and the deadline to register for the conference is January 22nd. For more information on this important conference - visit the Legacy website at http://www.legacyenved.org/forms/conference.html

Smart Growth Seminar - If you care about Smart Growth, there will be an important seminar entitled, "Solving Urban and Environmental Problems with the Transect" to be held February 5-8 at Seaside in Florida. The concept of the Transect is critically important because it will be the analytical tool that permits regions to begin acting like regions as opposed to individual fiefdoms. To learn more about this very important seminar visit the following website for additional information http://www.theseasideinstitute.org

Black Warrior Riverkeeper Website - Check out the Black Warrior Riverkeeper's new website at http://www.blackwarriorriver.org . This organization is dedicated to the defense of all 6,392 square miles within the Black Warrior watershed.

Wilderness Society Southeast Office Hires New Director - The Wilderness Society's Southeast Office has hired Frank Peterman as its new Director. Peterman comes to TWS with a wealth of national and local conservation experience on national parks issues, including lobbying, media and outreach efforts. For the last seven years, Peterman has been vice-president (and is a co-founder of)his own environmental outreach and education company, Earthwise Productions. As a former resident of Florida, Peterman has also been deeply involved in the restoration issues concerning the Everglades.

To learn more about the Wilderness Society's Southeast Office and their new director, visit the TWS website at http://www.wilderness.org