December 5, 2002
#191
1. ADEM Sets Environmental Enforcement Record
2. New Brownfield Cleanup Program Making Progress
3. Groups File Suit to Halt Incinerator
4. Coalition Calls For Growth Moratorium In Upper
Cahaba Watershed
5. BEN Notes - Alabama Power Foundation "Plant
a Tree" Grants, ACF's Conservation Hall of Achievement, Mobile
County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day, AEC Annual Holiday
Party, Alabama Citizens' Commission on Constitutional Reform Public
Meeting, Mt. Laurel Winter Open House
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The Birmingham Post-Herald has completed a week long environmental
series on Alabama's Biodiversity titled "Losing Our Legacy."
You can read the entire series online by visiting the paper's
website at http://www.postherald.com
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1. ADEM Sets Environmental Enforcement Record - The Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) assessed the largest fiscal year monetary total in its history for environmental enforcement actions taken during fiscal year 2002.
As of September 30th, the end of the fiscal year, a total of $2,441,075 was assessed for violations of Alabama's air, land and water regulations. ADEM also issued a total of 262 administrative orders, the second highest total of record, with 230 of those orders including monetary penalties. An administrative order is an enforcement means employed by ADEM to establish a plan and schedule for compliance when breaches of environmental laws occur. Failure to comply with an administrative order can result in more stringent legal action for the recovery of civil penalties and other appropriate sanctions.
According to ADEM figures, fines assessed during fiscal year 2002 reflect an 18. 8% increase over the previous year and a 10.7% increase over fiscal year 2000.
2. New Brownfield Cleanup Program Making Progress - Last year, the Alabama Legislature passed a new law creating the ADEM's Brownfield Redevelopment and Voluntary Cleanup Program.
According to a recent presentation given by the Applied Research Center of Alabama to the Alabama League of Municipalities, the program has achieved the following accomplishments:
ADEM was awarded this year $1 million by the Environmental Protection Agency for the implementation of a State Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund. Enabling legislation is expected to be introduced in the next session of the Alabama State Legislature creating a mechanism to implement a cleanup revolving loan fund.
3. Groups File Suit to Halt Incinerator - Last month, a coalition of anti-incineration groups filed a federal lawsuit to stop the Army from burning chemical weapons stored in Anniston, Alabama. The Army plans to begins using an incinerator at the Anniston Army Depot early next year to destroy more than 2000 tons of nerve and blister agents.
According to the Anniston Star, the lawsuit presents three
arguments. First,
it alleges the Army has not properly assessed alternatives such
as neutralization, as required by the National Environmental Policy
Act. Second, it claims Alabama's hazardous waste laws forbid the
operation of facilities that create imminent and substantial danger
to the environment and people in the population. Third, it alleges
the Army is discriminating against minorities by placing the incinerator
in a community where half the population is black.
The anti-incinerator groups are also pushing for a chemical-based neutralization technique rather than incineration. The coalition estimates retrofitting the incinerator for neutralization would cost between $50 million to $75 million. That method would shorten the destruction process by three years, saving $300 to $400 million in operating costs, the coalition states.
The groups who are the plaintiffs in the lawsuit include: the Alabama Environmental Council, Calhoun County Chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Chemical Weapons Working Group, Citizens for Environmental Justice, Coosa River Basin Initiative, Families Concerned About Nerve Gas Incineration, Friends of Terrapin Creek, Friends of Rural Alabama, Serving Alabama's Future Environment, Sierra Club, Vietnam Veterans of America and Wild Alabama.
4. Coalition Calls For Growth Moratorium In Upper Cahaba Watershed - According to a Birmingham News report, a coalition of environmental and citizen groups are calling for a moratorium on growth in the Upper Cahaba River watershed for 18 months while local governments study growth development in the region.
"Allowing continued development in the upper Cahaba Watershed during the 18 month planning study is not only a disregard of sound science, it flies in the face of the entire planning concept," the group wrote in a statement. The coalition called primarily for a halt to new utilities in the area, since power lines and sewers would draw development.
The Upper Cahaba watershed study is being conducted by the Regional Planning Commission of Birmingham which is spending $172,000 on a study that is suppose to gather scientific information on the watershed to help determine development goals.
The coalition calling for the moratorium include, the Cahaba Watershed Project, the Birmingham Chapter of the League of Women Voters, the Sierra Club, Alabama Environmental Council, the Smart Growth Coalition and the Committee for the Preservation of the Lake Purdy Area. The Cahaba River Society, the region's largest environmental group on the river did not join the coalition.
5. BEN Notes - Alabama Power Foundation Plant a Tree Grants, ACF's Conservation Hall of Achievement, Mobile County Household Hazardous Waste Cleanup Day, AEC Annual Holiday Party, Alabama Citizens' Commission on Constitutional Reform Public Meeting, Mt. Laurel Winter Open House
Alabama Power Foundation "Plant a Tree" Grants - The Alabama Power Foundation in partnership with the Alabama Urban Forestry Association (AUFA), announced this year's "Plant a Tree" grant recipients at the AUFA's Annual Convention in Opelika. In all, the Foundation received 167 grant requests and awarded 75 grants totaling $40,000, to communities across Alabama. To learn more about the "Plant a Tree" grant program, contact AUFA at 205-226-7760 or email them at aufa@bsc.edu
ACF's Conservation Hall of Achievement - The Alabama Coastal Foundation (ACF) announced their recipient of the Conservation Hall of Achievement earlier this fall. This year's winner is Jack Friend. Mr. Friend has provided his insight into coastal management for over 20 years and has been instrumental in preserving large tracts of land on the Fort Morgan Peninsula. To read more about this prestigious honor and recipient visit the ACF website at http://www.alcoastalfoundation.org
Mobile County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day - If you live in Mobile County-have you been wondering what to do with your old paint, batteries and other household hazardous waste? Thanks to a grant from the Mobile County Commission, the Alabama Coastal Foundation (ACF) is proud to announce the scheduling of a Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day to be held March 8th from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Mobile Fairgrounds. The ACF is seeking volunteers for this much needed project. Please call the ACF office at 251-990-6002 or email acf@alcoastalfoundation.org for more info or to help volunteer.
AEC Annual Holiday Party - The Alabama Environmental Council (AEC) will be holding their Annual Holiday Party, December 13th at the Red Rain Environmental General Store in Homewood, from 6:00 to 10:00. 10% of all sales made from December 1st to December 14th at the store or at http://www.redrainstore.com will benefit the Alabama Environmental Council. For more information call the AEC at 205-322-3126 or Red Rain at 205- 862-6206.
Alabama Citizens' Commission on Constitutional Reform Public Meeting - The fourth and final public meeting being held by the Alabama Citizen's Commission on Constitutional Reform (ACCR) is scheduled for Monday, December 9th, 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the Dixon Conference Center in Auburn, Alabama. If you care about constitution reform in Alabama this is a very important meeting. For more info about the event call 334-834-5495.
Mt. Laurel Winter Open House - Nature photographer Beth Maynor Young and Art Quilt Artist Murray Johnston are teaming up to bring people textures and colors of the Southern Landscape. The pair will holding a "Winter Open House" December 7th & 8th 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Town of Mt. Laurel Fire House.
If you can't make it this weekend to the "Winter Open House" Beth Maynor Young has opened up a kiosk, displaying her photography at the newly renovated Brookwood Mall in Birmingham