1) Alabama Counties Receive "F" From Lung Association Ozone Report
2) Ozone Season Begins This Week
3) Fort Morgan Study Looks At Coastal Development
4) Environmental Planners Plan Use of $7 Million In Coastal Impact Monies
5) BEN Notes - Job Openings, UAB Clean Air Conference, Black Warrior River Basin, Tensaw Delta EcoTours, Locust Fork River Cleanup, LEAF Canoe-a-thon, Birds of the Ecoscape at Birmingham Southern College

1. Alabama Counties Receive "F" From Lung Association Ozone Report - This week, the American Lung Association released its annual "State of the Air 2001" report that ranks US cities and counties for ozone air pollution. In Alabama, ten counties were eligible for the study. According to the report 7 of the 10 counties received a failing grade of "F" for ozone pollution. The counties receiving the "F" include:

Shelby, Jefferson, Madison, Clay, Montgomery, Mobile and Lawrence

This year, the study identified Shelby County as the region most adversely impacted by ground-level ozone air pollution statewide, surpassing Jefferson County. For more information on the "State of the Air 2001" report, contact Pam Lewis of the American Lung Association of Alabama at 205-933-8821.

2. Ozone Season Begins This Week - May 1 is the official statewide starting date for ozone season in Alabama (Mobile's ozone season did start earlier in April). For the next 5 months, until October 1, ground-level ozone pollution will be at its highest levels across the state. To learn more about what causes ground-level ozone, the health impacts, and what you can do to voluntarily reduce ozone, visit the Alabama Partners for Clean Air website at http://www.alabamacleanair.com or call the Jefferson County Department of Health Ozone Hotline at 205-933-0583.

In the area of ozone forecasting, the EPA and ADEM both have state of the art websites that include live ozone mapping and daily/future forecasts. The ADEM site focuses on the Daily Air Quality Index for Mobile, Jefferson and Shelby counties. Please visit these sites at:
http://www.epa.gov/airnow/
http://www.adem.state.al.us/EnviroProtect/Air/AirQualAla/airquaal.htm

In the Birmingham area, if you have a group that would like to be given a presentation on the health impacts of ground-level ozone, contact Pat Byington at 205-226-7739.

3. Fort Morgan Study Looks At Coastal Development - According to a recent Mobile Register article, a comprehensive study of Fort Morgan released in April, reinforced what some residents have said for years - the area will outgrow its roadway and services if a strategic plan is not put in place.

Home to the endangered Alabama beach mouse, historic Fort Morgan, the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge, and miles of untouched dunes and wetlands, the 20 mile peninsula is a rare find according to researchers.

The "Fort Morgan Peninsula Resource Assessment" which is only informational, states that the peninsula is still in good shape environmentally, but stressed the need for wise stewardship, land use planning and protection of endangered species.

4. Environmental Planners Plan Use of $7 Million In Coastal Impact Monies - The state of Alabama will receive a $20 million windfall this year resulting from the passage of the Coastal Impact Assistance Act (an element of CARA, the Conservation and Reinvestment Act), which was championed by Senator Jeff Sessions last year. Nearly $7 million of the $20 million in conservation funds will be going directly toward environmentally related projects within Baldwin and Mobile counties. In a recent Mobile Register article, the agencies responsible for deciding where the $7 million will go, released their list of projects they intend to fund.

In Baldwin County monies will be spent on erosion and sediment control, hazardous waste handling, collection and disposal, wetland conservation (benefiting groups within Wolf Bay, Weeks Bay and Mobile Bay), hazardous spill response and education and outreach. Mobile County will be purchasing important environmental modeling equipment, acquiring Dead Lake Marina and land for public use around the county, upgrading parks and projects that support watershed monitoring projects with local watchdog groups.

5. BEN Notes: Job Openings, APCA Clean Air Conference, Black Warrior River Basin, Tensaw Delta EcoTours, Locust Fork River Cleanup, LEAF Canoe-a-thon, Birds of the Ecoscape at Birmingham Southern College

Job Openings

Alabama Rivers Alliance (ARA) Seeking Watershed Leadership Program Coordinator - The ARA is seeking a coordinator with strong leadership and organizational skills, a willingness and ability to fundraise, a strong work ethic and a deep personal commitment to river and watershed protection and restoration. A minimum of three years experience in nonprofit conservation work is preferred. Questions about this position can be e-mailed to bmclane@alabamarivers.org - Phone calls are discouraged.To apply send resume and cover letter to the Alabama Rivers Alliance, Watershed Leadership Program Coordinator, 2027 2nd Avenue North, Birmingham, Alabama 35203.

Camp McDowell is Seeking Director of Feathers in Focus Raptor Program - Camp McDowell's Environmental Center in Nauvoo, Alabama is seeking a director for their Feathers in Focus program. A candidate must have at least 2 years experience in raptor care and environmental education. To apply: Mail resume and references to Jennifer Arnold, Director, 105 DeLong Road, Nauvoo, Alabama 35578. To learn more about the position visit Camp McDowell's webpage at: http://www.campmcdowell.com/cmec

APCA Clean Air Conference - Alabama Partners for Clean Air presents "Clean Air 2001" on May 9th, 8:00am to Noon at the Hill University Center's Alumni Auditorium on the UAB campus. The conference will feature speakers from EPA, the Center for Disease Control, and the Southern Environmental Law Center. The event is free and is hosted by UAB's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and cosponsored the Southern Environmental Center at Birmingham Southern College and the University Transportation Center of Alabama. For more information call the SEC at 205-226-4934.

Black Warrior River Basin - The Black Warrior River Basin Clean Water Partnership is holding a stakeholders' meeting May 9th, 2:00pm at the Cullman Electric Cooperative in Cullman. If you care about the Black Warrior River watershed this is a great opportunity to get involved. For directions and information about the meeting contact Mary-Bestor Grant at 251-8139 ext.21.

Tensaw Delta EcoTours - Spring has finally arrived and the Mobile Delta is exploding with wildflowers, wading birds alligators and osprey. Tensaw Eco-Tours, located on the Mobile Bay Causeway, can give you the Alabama nature experience of a lifetime with their guided tours of the Delta. For information about this unique and "timely" (in time for spring) business, call Tensaw Eco-Tours at 334-625-0339.

Locust Fork River Cleanup - Come join the Friends of Locust Fork River (FLFR) on May 12th, 9:00am at Pardue's in Cleveland, Alabama (about 25 miles north of Birmingham on highway 79) for National Rivers Cleanup Week. FLFR will be organizing people an effort to cleanup the many crossings along the river. At 2:00pm there will be music, prizes and a cookout for all the participants. For more information about this event contact Vicki Wilson 205-647-6961.

LEAF Canoe-a-thon - The Legal Environmental Assistance Foundation (LEAF) will be holding their "Canoe-a-thon 2001" on the banks of the Tallapoosa River near Danville, Alabama on June 2nd beginning at 9:00am. LEAF is seeking paddlers and sponsors for this creative fundraiser. For more information about this event contact David Ludder at 850-681-2591 or dludder@leaf-envirolaw.org

Birds of the Ecoscape at Birmingham Southern College - Noted biologist Dr. Dan Holliman of Birmingham Southern College has helped create an incredible website on the "Birds of the Ecoscape" a beautiful nature/outdoor classroom and gardens on the Birmingham Southern campus. Check out the website at: http://www.bsc.edu/sec/ecoscape/default.html

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