1. PCB Waste Shipment Delayed - According to the Anniston Star, the Department of Defense has revised its plan to ship PCB-contaminated waste from Japan to Pell City, Alabama. Instead of the waste arriving in Pell City this week, the cargo will arrive in two to three weeks, according to Washington sources.

Last week, in a letter to the Department of Defense, Alabama Senator Richard Shelby expressed concern that the military had been keeping the community in the dark about the project.

"The emerging perception in the region is that the Department of Defense has been trying to hide this activity." Shelby wrote.

The controversial project, which had been in the works for months, was revealed by the Anniston Star last week. Local public officials were not contacted by the Department of Defense about the Japan to Pell City PCB waste disposal project until the Star began investigating the story. The shipment is a small fraction of the 7 million pounds of electrical transformers, capacitors and other items the Defense Department eventually must remove from Japan and Wake Island.

2. Governor Riley Names Lawley Conservation Commissioner - Last week, Gov. Bob Riley announced that he had chosen retired Pell City businessman Barnett Lawley to be the state's Commissioner for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Mr. Lawley previously owned M.B. Lawley Inc., a petroleum and convenience store business in Pell City. He was a former president of the Alabama Oilmen's Association and its legislative chairman for 21 years. Lawley has been active in conservation and wildlife programs, helping co-found the St.Clair chapters of Ducks Unlimited and the National Wild Turkey Federation.

According to an Associated Press report, one of Lawley's goals in his new job is to speed up the renovation of Alabama's state parks, which is being financed with $104 million from a bond issue sold in 2001.

3. "Gateway to the Delta" Conference Center Unveiled - As one of their last actions before leaving office, Governor Don Siegelman and Conservation Commissioner Riley Boykin Smith unveiled the latest plan to create a $4.5 million conference center north of the U.S. 98 Causeway.

Located near Meaher State Park, the project has been named "Gateway to the Delta," capitalizing on the preservation of more than 100,000 acres of the Delta by the state. The new center will include a nature center, nature labs, a canoe and kayak landing, theater and a location to house most of the state's coastal agencies as well as not for profit local groups.

4. State Buying 20 Acres of Marsh Land On Dauphin Island - Last week, the state conservation department announced the planned purchase of about 20 acres of salt marsh wetlands at Dauphin Island.

Known locally as Billy Goat Hole wetlands, the land is adjacent to the Dauphin Island ferry landing. Conservation Commissioner Riley Boykin Smith said the project is a productive habitat for marine and estuarine species. Shrimp, crabs and fish such as speckled trout and redfish thrive in the Billy Goat Hole wetlands. Funds for the purchase came from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Coastal Impact Assistance Program.

5. BEN Notes: Legacy Grant Program Announcement, Scenic Alabama's New Updated Website, New Trails Group Organizing In Shoals, Derelict Crab Trap Cleanup Scheduled, Non-Motorized Facility Design Workshop, WaterQuest 2003 and Nonpoint Source Watershed Forum 2003

Legacy Grant Program Announcement - Legacy, Partners in Environmental Education, is proud to announce it is soliciting grant applications for both competitive and mini-grants. Each year Legacy awards grants to fund various environmental education programs throughout the state of Alabama. There are two types of grants Legacy offers. The "competitive" grant category offers grants up to $10,000. The "mini-grant" program seeks proposals for environmental education projects up to $2,500. The deadline to apply for a Legacy grant is April 25th. To learn more about this program visit the Legacy website at http://www.legacyenved.org or you can call 334-270-5921to request an application.

Scenic Alabama's New Updated Website - Want to learn how to "make" Alabama the Beautiful truly look beautiful - visit Scenic Alabama's newly updated website at http://www.scenicalabama.org

New Trails Group Organizing In Shoals - If you care about hiking trails in Northwest Alabama and the entire state, check out the Alabama Hiking Trail Society's (AHTS) website at http://www.AlabamaTrail.org. The AHTS will be hosting a meeting in the Shoals area to determine interest in establishing a chapter in the area. An organizational meeting is scheduled for March 11th at 6:30 at Alabama Outdoors in Florence. For more information contact Bill Matthews at 256-757-8733 or Karen Lowery at 256-764-1801.

Derelict Crab Trap Cleanup Scheduled - Last year over 355 derelict/abandoned crab traps were removed from Alabama's coastal waters. This year, the Alabama Marine Resources Division and Mobile Bay NEP would like to invite you once again to help clean up our waters. These groups need volunteers to help remove traps from our shores. The event is scheduled for Saturday, March 15th. If you would like to volunteer, please call Leslie Hartman, 251-861-2882 or Lee Yokel at
251-431-6409.

Non-Motorized Facility Design Workshop - If you would like to see how city streets can be designed for pedestrians and bicyclists - check out the Non-Motorized Facility Design Workshop to be held on the campus of Birmingham-Southern College, February 10th, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The admission is free, but you must register by January 31st. For more information about this workshop contact Tom Maxwell at tmaxwell@brpc-al.org or call 205-251-8139.

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 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