November 18, 2004

1. ADEM News -  HHere is a chronology of events that have occurred in the past month concerning the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) and the Environmental Management Commission.

October 19 - The Environmental Management Commission (EMC) dismissed James Warr as ADEM's director.

October 20 - James Warr becomes acting director, resulting from personnel rules and procedures.

November 2 - Attorney General Troy King releases an opinion answering a question posed by Rep. Steve McMillan concerning qualifications for the EMC, Biologist/Ecologist position.

November 10 - Governor Riley's legal counsel sends a letter to EMC member Pat Byington concerning Biologist/Ecologist qualifications.

November 15 - A suit is filed by former ADEM director Leigh Pegues and former commissioner Dewey White to remove EMC member Scott Phillips from the well driller position.

A special November 19th EMC meeting has been called.

For more detailed information about these events go to http://www.al.com and read archived stories and editorials from the Birmingham News and Mobile Register.

2. Gulf State Park Hotel Destroyed By Ivan - According to a Department of Conservation press release, the hotel at Gulf State Park , which was built in 1974, was destroyed by hurricane Ivan. The convention center and hotel will be condemned and the debris removed to make way for a new facility that had been in the planning stage for years.

Other damage to the Gulf State Park:

• The pier is in three sections
• Of the 21 cabins, one was destroyed, but the rest have only minor damage
• The nature center lost its roof
• The camp store received significant damage

Despite the extensive damage, parts of the park are expected to reopen soon.  Portions of the campground is expected to reopen in March 2005.  For more information and updates about all of Alabama's State Parks, and the damage they incurred because of hurricane Ivan - go to http://www.outdooralabama.com

3. More Ivan News - A According to news and state agency reports, Ivan had a dramatic impact on Alabama's wildlife and forestsland.  Here are some figures that have been reported.

• From an AP report - "We certainly lost a lot of wildlife, there's no question about that." stated Jereme Phillips, Bon Seour's National Wildlife Refuge wildlife biologist.  The refuge is home to the endangered Alabama beach mouse and a nesting site for two species of sea turtles. According to reports 12 of 53 nests were lost in the storm.
• Alabama and Florida National Wildlife Refuges are slated to receive about $40 million in aid to restore refuges.
• Timber damage from hurricane Ivan was massive.  According to the Alabama Forestry Commission, in the 12 county southwest area assessment of the state, the damaged timber from Hurricane Ivan is 2.44 times more than what was harvested in that same area last year.

4. Lee County Rejects Georgia Garbage - HLast month, the Lee County Commission rejected a request by Waste Away, a Waste Management subsidiary, to add 15 Georgia counties to the landfill's service area, that included the Atlanta Metro region .  The proposal would have also expanded the daily cap of waste accepted at the site from 1500 tons a day to 2500 tons.

The expansion was fiercely opposed by local residents.  Earlier in the month, a survey conducted by the Opelika-Auburn News showed an overwhelming 85% of Lee County residents opposed the proposal.

5. BEN Notes: Cahaba River Public Meeting, Chief Oren Lyons in Birmingham, Southern Hiker Magazine, Kingfisher Announcements

Cahaba River Public Meeting - A very important meeting concerning the Upper Cahaba Watershed Study is scheduled for Thursday, November 18th, 6:00-7:30 (doors open at 5:00) at the McWane Center in Birmingham.  The meeting is about the new Greenprint plan that has been developed as part of Phase II of the study to better manage the watershed.  For more information about the meeting, call the Cahaba River Society at 205-32-CLEAN.

Chief Oren Lyons in Birmingham - Chief Oren Lyons, a 2004 National Geographic Environmental  Hero, will be speaking on November 22nd at 2:00 in the Linn-Henley Lecture Hall at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. A clear voice for the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois Confederacy), Chief Lyons represents the last remaining traditional Indigenous government.  For more information about this special event contact Elizabeth Elgin at starvision@email.com

Southern Hiker Magazine - A new publication designed for walkers, hikers, backpackers and anyone who loves the outdoors and nature in the South is about to hit newsstands.  Southern Hiker Magazine will cover hiking in the Southeast, and will be debut in December.  For information about this new and exciting magazine go to http://www.SouthernHiker.com

Kingfisher Announcements -  Check out Alabama's "Ansel Adams" Beth Young' s websites at http://www.kingfishereditions.com and http://www.cahabariverpublishing.com