December 9, 1998
1. Arson Blamed for Cheaha Wilderness Fire
2. State Senator Butler : Make ADEM a Cabinet Position
3. State Rep. Fuller: Will Reintroduce ADEM Reform
4. Mobile Estuary Program Lobbyist Resigns
5. Another BEN Website Change
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1) Cheaha Fire Burns 1/3 of Wilderness - Out of state forest
firefighters,
who specialize in fighting "wilderness fires" have been
handed over the
responsibility of extinguishing a wildfire that has burned nearly
one-third
of the Cheaha Wilderness (2600 acres out of 7400). The fire was
lit by an
arsonist Friday along an abandoned road just south of the Cheaha
Wilderness
Area in the Talledega Forest. By Sunday, the wildfire had burned
nearly 1000
acres. All recents news reports indicate that the fire is currently
under
control. The greatest hazard Monday was the smoke, which set off
health
concerns among local residents.
2. Proposal: ADEM Director Position Cabinet Level -
State Senator Tom Butler
of Madison announced in the Decatur Daily, that he is drafting
legislation to
make the director of ADEM more accountable to the public by moving
the
position to a Cabinet appointment of the governor. According to
the December
6th Decatur Daily article written by staff writer Clay Redden
.... "Butler
said, by making the director a Cabinet appointment it will give
the public
at least some accountability because the governor is elected and
the public
can go right to him with any concerns they may have about ADEM."
Currently the ADEM director is appointed by the Alabama Environmental
Manangement Commission. Butler cited ADEM's "disregard for
the public" when
he dealt with ADEM earlier this year in an effort to oppose a
proposed rock
quarry in Limestone County as one of the reasons for his proposed
legislation.
"It's almost like a toothless tiger out there."said
Butler. "With the
environment being so important to the people of this state I think
it's
important for that department to become more accountable to the
public."
3) More ADEM Reform Promised - In the same Dec.6th Decatur
Daily article,
last year's leading ADEM Reform advocate, Rep. Bill Fuller confirmed
his
plans to re-introduce legislation to change ADEM's name (Alabama
Department
of Environmental Protection) and to add at least two new members
to the seven
member commission who are from the environmental community.
"In the four years that I've been responsible for the
budget process and in
the months since the 1998 regular session, I have seen little
or no evidence
of a willingness by the ADEM director or board to really become
active in
environmental protection,"....."I've been extremely
disappointed in the
leadership of ADEM in basically turning a deaf ear to the agency's
critics."
stated Fuller.
Fuller also stated in the article that the Legislature has
to accept some
responsibility for neglecting the state's environment and natural
resources.
"We have simply deferred - and I've been as guilty as
anybody - much of that
responsibility to an ADEM organization that for the last 20 or
25 years has
never recognized the values of the stewardship of the environment."
4) Mobile Bay Estuary Program Lobbyist Resigns - Danny
Calametti, the Mobile
Bay National Estuary Program's public outreach coordinator, is
leaving his
position to take a private sector position. Calametti was instrumental
in
building public support for the $3 million dollar management plan
for Mobile
Bay. The draft plan is expected to be released to the general
public in
February. Public and political support for the plan is seen as
critical for
the success of this document/plan which is considered the most
ambitous ever
drafted about the Bay.
5. Dogwood Alliance Website Changed - Yet another amendment
to your BEN
Website Special. Danna Smith, the director at the Dogwood Alliance
has
informed me that they have a new website address. Their new site
is:
http://www.dogwoodalliance.org
Please check out this impressive regional forest protection group.
Please share BEN with friends and fellow conservationists.
If you have any questions about BEN, contact Pat Byington at
205-226-7739 or pkbyington@aol.com
