1) Forever Wild Protects An Additional 1400 Acres in Delta
2) Weeks Bay Reserve Foundation Purchases 49 Acres
3) AEMC Chair Richard Thigpen Steps Down
4) Water War Congressional Hearing Set For Next Week
5) Sen. Shelby Places Safety Amendment On Chemical Weapons Incinerator
6) BEN Notes : Check out U.S. Postal Stamps Promoting Longleaf Pine Forests, AEC to Hold New Chapter Meeting and Holiday Party, Celebrate Mobile Bay Watch's Bay Splash 2, Read the Draft Southern Forest Resource Assessment Online, Alabama Coastal Foundation's Cypress Tree Planting Project

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1. Forever Wild Protects An Additional 1400 Acres in Delta - Last week, the Forever Wild Board of Trustees authorized the purchase of an additional 1,427 acres in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta.

The Mobile-Tensaw Delta- Oswell (West) Tract is located within the alluvial plain of the Delta. The tract which lies between the Mobile and Middle River is comprised of bayou and bottomland hardwood swampland. The land adjoins already purchased Forever Wild tracts in the Delta. The property is suspected to support numerous species of rare plants and animals. The land will most likely be used as a recreational area and nature preserve. It may also be used as a Wildlife Management Area supporting hunting.

2. Weeks Bay Reserve Foundation Purchases 49 Acres - The Weeks Bay Reserve Foundation located in Baldwin County has purchased 49 acres of wetlands/riverine habitat along the Fish River. The new acquisition is located south of and adjacent to 64 acres already owned by the Foundation. The property has 1400 feet of frontage on Fish River and lies north of the islands near Waterhole Branch.

The new purchase was made possible by a loan from Compass Bank. The Foundation is on the "front line" of coastal protection in Baldwin County. To learn more about the Weeks Bay Reserve Foundation, visit their website at http://www.weeksbay.org .

3. AEMC Chair Richard Thigpen Steps Down - Dr. Richard Thigpen, Chair of the Alabama Environmental Management Commission (AEMC) since 1999, resigned from the Commission last week.

In a December 6th letter to Gov. Don Siegelman, Thigpen stated, " It has been a privilege to serve alongside such splendid citizens and Commission members, and to be associated with the superb staff and leadership of the ADEM agency, professional and administrative."

A retired educator from the University of Alabama, Dr. Thigpen's resignation leaves open the "lawyer" position on the AEMC.

4. Water War Congressional Hearing Set For Next Week - Congressman Bob Barr of Georgia, an outspoken critic of the states' handling of the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa (ACT) and Apalachicola-Flint (ACF) water negotiations has scheduled congressional hearings on the compacts for December 19th in Washington D.C.

Barr, who chairs the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law, which has oversight of interstate compacts, threatened to hold a hearing to investigate reports that some negotiation meetings were held in secret, in violation of the ACT and ACF compacts. Brian Walsh, a spokesperson for Barr, stated in the Anniston Star, that the subcommittee is only interested in a progress report at this time.

The Congressional hearing will follow meetings between ACT and ACF committees scheduled for December 13th at the State Capitol in Montgomery. Alabama and Georgia have reached a tentative agreement for the ACT, but Florida is holding out on an agreement in the ACF. Negotiators have said the basins are interlinked and agreement in one depends on agreement in the other.

5. Sen. Shelby Places Safety Amendment On Chemical Weapons Incinerator - According to a Birmingham News published report, Senator Richard Shelby placed an amendment on the Defense spending bill that would not allow the U.S. Army to start its chemical weapons incinerator, if two of four key officials did not believe the people of Calhoun County were protected.

The directive, would require the blessing of three of the following people: the undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics; director of FEMA, the governor of the state of Alabama and the chairman of the Calhoun County Commission.

For the past year, Calhoun County officials have questioned whether all of the agreed upon safety measures could be completed before the start up of the incinerator. Recently, the Pentagon agreed to an additional $40 million for safety improvements.

6. BEN Notes : Check out U.S. Postal Stamps Promoting Longleaf Pine Forests, AEC to Hold New Chapter Meeting and Holiday Party, Celebrate Mobile Bay Watch's Bay Splash 2, Read the Draft Southern Forest Resource Assessment Online, Alabama Coastal Foundation's Cypress Tree Planting Project

Check out U.S. Postal Stamps Promoting Longleaf Pine Forests - The U.S. Postal Service "Nature of America" education program will be releasing in April 2002 ten (10) stamps that will illustrate the diversity of species found in the longleaf pine forests of the Southeast. For a preview of the artwork, check out the Postal Service's announcement on the Gopher Tortoise Council website at http://www.gophertortoisecouncil.org/stamp.htm

AEC to Hold New Chapter Meeting and Holiday Party - Ever wanted to be a "founding member" of a group? Now is your chance. The Alabama Environmental Council will be forming a Birmingham Chapter, Wednesday, December 12th at The Mill on Birmingham's Southside. The meeting will start at 5:30.

If you can't make the chapter meeting, the AEC is also having a Holiday Party at Red Rain: An Environmental General Store, Thursday, December 13th, 6:00 until 10:00 pm. Red Rain is located at 2803 Street South in Homewood. A percentage of the proceeds from sales on December 10th to the 15th will be given to support the AEC's efforts. For more info about these events contact the AEC at 205-322-3126.

Celebrate Mobile Bay Watch's Bay Splash 2 - Here is how Mobile Bay Watch explains Bay Splash 2 on their mailout : "Here's the deal: we throw a big party, you come and the Bay benefits!"

A great fundraiser, Bay Splash 2 will held be Saturday, December 15th, 6:00-until at the BlueGill Restaurant (3 miles east of Battleship Park on the Causeway). Live entertainment will feature Luther Wilson and the Midnight Howlers, and Angie Nelson. Tickets are now on sale for $25 at the BlueGill, Mobile Bay Watch's office (251-476-0328 ) or at the door on the 15th.

Read the Draft Southern Forest Resource Assessment Online - In last week's BEN #162 we wrote about the Southern Forest Resource Assessment which is led by the U.S. Forest Service. The draft assessment has now been placed on the net. If you want to see a scientific glimpse on the future of our forests in the Southeast, check our their website at http://www.srs.fs.fed.us/sustain/

Alabama Coastal Foundation's Cypress Tree Planting Project - The Alabama Coastal Foundation (ACF), Gothic Arch Greenhouses and the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program are looking for tree lovers who would like to plant some trees! Please join these groups by supporting their 2nd Annual ACF Cypress Tree Planting Project. For a small donation of $5, you can help plant a tree. $25 helps plant 5 trees. $100 plants - 25 trees. Contact the ACF office if you would like to be involved with this worthwhile project by calling 251-990-6002 or email theacf@bellsouth.net

Please share BEN with friends and fellow conservationists. If you have any questions or comments about this publication, contact Pat Byington, the author and publisher of BEN at 205-226-7739 or pkbyington@aol.com To receive back issues of BEN, please go to our website at: http://www.BamaNews.com