According to Gov. Riley, the signed memorandum of understanding between the two states is a "first step" towards ending 13 years of multi-state water negotiations between Alabama, Georgia and Florida. The proposed 30 year agreement signed by the Alabama and Georgia governors, set storage requirements for Lake Allatoona and Carters Lake in Northeast Georgia and minimum flow rates from those lakes and the Coosa River, near Rome, Georgia. The plan will be made public May 1st, followed by a 30 day public comment period.

The two governors were joined by Florida Governor Jeb Bush in Dothan, Alabama. The governors also agreed to extend the water talks until July 31, 2004, giving federal regulators time to examine and sign off on the plan. Negotiations will continue on the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin (ACF). Gov. Perdue expressed hope for an agreement on the ACF River Basin by the next meeting in May.

2. Fish and Wildlife Service Calls For Critical Habitat Protections - The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing that portions of rivers and streams, totaling some 1,093 miles in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Tennessee, be designated as critical habitat for 11 federally listed freshwater mussels. All 11 mussels were listed in 1993 under the Endangered Species Act.

Portions of Alabama rivers targeted for critical habitat include: the Tombigbee River in Lamar, Pickens, Greene, Sumter and Tuscaloosa counties, the Black Warrior River, Alabama River, Tallapoosa River and the Coosa River.

Critical habitat refers to specific geographic areas that are essential to the conservation of a threatened or endangered species and which may require special management considerations or protection. A complete description of the proposed critical habitat designation has been published in the Federal Register. Copies of the proposal and maps are available at http://southeast.fws.gov/hotissues or by contacting Connie Light Dickard, 601-321-1121.

3. Huntsville Opens New Environmental Court - Litterbugs beware. You now can be taken to court in Huntsville.

Earlier this month, the city of Huntsville kicked off the city's first Environmental Court. The program places environmental cases on one docket each week instead of scattering them among other misdemeanor hearings throughout the week. The idea for the court came from Municipal Judge Sonny Rodenhauser after meetings with Huntsville Mayor Loretta Spencer about the rising number of neighborhood eyesores. According to Huntsville's department of Community Development, about 10,000 notices for violations, such as overgrown weeds, unlawful storage of junk and the keeping of inoperable vehicles in the streets and yards were issued last year.

4. Ozone Season Opens In Alabama - Last week, the Mobile Register reported an outbreak of ozone air pollution violations in Alabama. Two ozone monitors in Mobile County have already turned in three violations of federal ozone standards. Monitors in Clay County, Lawrence County, Shelby County and in Muscle Shoals have also reported violations according the Register.

Ground-level ozone air pollution is formed when nitrogen oxide pollutants, largely from coal-fired plants and automobiles combine with sunlight. Concentrations of ozone climbs when regional weather patterns are dry, warm and there is little wind. When ozone concentrations exceed EPA's violation level of 85 parts per billion, children and people with respiratory problems such as asthma are advised to limit their exposure to outside air during the day.

The start of ozone season begins in South Alabama on April 15th and in Birmingham/North Alabama on May 1st. The season lasts until October.

5. Scrap Tire and Clean Water Enforcement Legislation Pass House - The Alabama House of Representatives made significant progress on environmental legislation last week when it passed without opposition, bills to cleanup and manage scrap tire disposal in Alabama (HB 186) and strengthen the Alabama's water pollution laws making them on par with the federal Clean Water Act (HB 434). Both bills are supported by business, governmental and environmental interests.

The legislation will now be considered by the Alabama State Senate.

6. BEN Notes: E.O. Wilson to Speak in Mobile, Friends of Shades Creek Canoe Trips, Legacy Summer Institutes, Mobile Bay NEP 2003 Stewardship Award Winners, Conservation Expo 2003

E.O. Wilson to Speak in Mobile - The 10th Annual Wiese Distinguished Lecture Series will be presenting Dr. E.O. Wilson, two time Pulitzer Prize winner and renowned research scientist, May 9, 7:00 a.m. at the Wright Auditorium on the campus of the University of South Alabama. Admission is by ticket only. The tickets are free and can be picked up at the Department of Marine Sciences. For more information, call 251-460-7136.

Friends of Shades Creek Canoe Trips - Want to get out on the "river" this weekend or later this month? The Friends of Shades Creek in Birmingham have scheduled three canoe trips. Here are the details:

April 27, 8:30 - Trip on Shades Creek led by Dr. Jim Brown of Samford - Meet at Wildwood Office Max

May 18, 8:30 a.m. - Cahaba Lily Trip led by Dr. Randy Haddock, Cahaba River Society - Meet at Colonnade parking lot.

June 21, 8:30 a.m. - Led by Randy Haddock with a lecture by James Lowery on fossils - Meet at Cahaba Valley Road and I-65.

Space is limited on all the trips and there will be a $25 charge per canoe. To sign up call 205-879-6866 or 414-0064.

Legacy Summer Institutes - Legacy has openings for its highly successful Summer Teacher Institutes. This year's week-long institutes will be held June 22-27 at Birmingham-Southern College, Southern Environmental Center and July 20-25 at Beckwith Camp and Conference Center in Baldwin County. The deadline for applications is May 23rd. You can access the applications by visiting the Legacy website at http://www.legacyenved.org or for more information email Salley Longshore at sallye@legacyenved.org

Mobile Bay NEP 2003 Stewardship Award Winners - Earlier this month, the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program announced their 2003 Stewardship Award winners. Here are this year's winners:

Individual - Teko Wiseman
Government - Urban Planning Department, City of Mobile
Business - Tensaw EcoTours
Non-profit Group - Coastal Conservation Association
Special Award - Joe Copeland, Friends of Forever Wild

Conservation Expo 2003 -The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will be holding the "Conservation Celebration Expo" Saturday, April 26 at Oak Mountain State Park. There will be no admission into the park for the day. The event will begin at 9:00 a.m. and end at 5:00 p.m.