1) Birmingham Walks Ozone "Tightrope"
2) Major Regional Forest Service Lawsuit Filed
3) WRATT Awarded Grant to Reduce Mercury Pollution
4) Swimming the Tennessee River to Raise Pollution Awareness
5) New Land Trust in East Alabama
6) Jefferson County Getting Tough On Dumpers
7) BEN Notes: Ruffner Mountain "Fishes of Alabama", Lung Association's
Emissions Testing Schedule, Northeast Alabama Environmental Conference, SEC's
Urban Eco-Tour, AEC's New Director

1. Birmingham Walks Ozone "Tightrope" - After an almost "trouble free" 2001 ground-level ozone season, health officials announced last week that an ozone air quality monitor in West Jefferson County logged the Birmingham area's
highest ozone pollution of the year. The monitor at the McAdory School registered ozone at 127 parts per billion, exceeding the 125 standard. At that level, it is considered unhealthy for even healthy adults to exercise or work outdoors.

Since 1990, Jefferson and Shelby counties have been classified as a "non-attainment" area for the 1 hour ozone standard. To be removed from the non-attainment classification, a non-attainment area cannot exceed the standard four or more times at any one monitor within a three time frame. The Birmingham area has exceeded the standard three times, at three separate monitors around the region during the current three year period. If the monitors do not show an exceedance for the rest of the summer, the Birmingham area could be reclassified as being in "attainment" of the 1 hour standard.

Once Birmingham achieves the 1-hour standard, the area will most likely be placed under the more restrictive 8-hour standard. Under that rule, area monitors would have logged exceedances nine times on six days this summer, according to the Jefferson County Health Department.

For more information about what you can do to reduce ozone air pollution, visit the Alabama Partners for Clean Air website at http://www.alabamacleanair.com

2. Major Regional Forest Service Lawsuit Filed - The Southern Environmental Law Center, representing a coalition of 11 environmental groups, filed a regional lawsuit in federal court last week against the U.S. Forest Service for failing to monitor imperiled plants and animals in national forests in Alabama and four other southern states.

Through its own regulations the agency is responsible for monitoring and maintaining adequate data about endangered and threatened species (sensitive species) on its lands. The purpose of the rule is to inform the agency about the likely impacts from logging, road building and other activities to avoid further decline of the species.

According to a press release written by the groups filing the suit, "Forest Service officials in five states - Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Arkansas and Louisiana are attempting to evade the monitoring requirement by changing their individual 15 year forest management plans. Georgia, Alabama and Arkansas amended their plans last year to weaken, and in some instances eliminate the
requirement, and Florida and Louisiana similarly dropped it when they updated their plans."

For more information about this lawsuit contact the Southern Environmental Law Center at 804-977-4090 or visit their website at:
http://www.southernenvironment.org/res_news_2001-07-26.shtml

3. WRATT Awarded Grant to Reduce Mercury Pollution - For people who are concerned about mercury pollution - help is on the way.

This month, the Muscle Shoals-based Waste Reduction and Technology Transfer Foundation (WRATT) was awarded $35,000 from the Environmental Protection Agency to search for ways to reduce the amount of mercury pollution in Alabama schools and in Mobile Bay. The WRATT foundation, which was formed in 1989, uses retired engineers, scientists and business professionals to help government agencies, businesses and industries find ways to conserve energy and natural resources and solve environmental problems. The WRATT Foundation plans to work with approximately 35 Alabama schools, in an effort to eliminate mercury contamination from old school chemistry labs. The group also plans to help identify and study some of the potential sources of mercury being discharged into Mobile Bay.

4. Swimming the Tennessee River to Raise Pollution Awareness - The Decatur Daily published on July 24th, the wonderful story of Mimi Hughes, an Alabama high school teacher who is swimming the entire 652 mile length of the Tennessee River to raise public awareness about pollution. A three year journey and project, Ms. Hughes swims during the summer 30,000 meters a week. Her vivid description of life on the river and pollution is astonishing.

Please check out this remarkable story by visiting the Decatur website at http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/news/010724/swim.shtml

5. New Land Trust in East Alabama - In 1999, the City Council of Auburn, Alabama appointed a group of citizens to evaluate the need for a local land trust. After a year, the group not only recommended a land trust to the city, they proceeded to take it a step further by forming the Land Trust of East Alabama (LTEA).

Alabama's newest Land Trust, the LTEA will serve Chambers, Lee, Macon, Russell and Tallapoosa counties. The group is dedicated toward conserving and preserving green space, land which has special recreational, scenic, or environmental value, protect watersheds, preserve biodiversity and promote orderly and ecologically sound development.

To learn more about the LTEA visit their website at http://www.LTEA.org

6. Jefferson County Getting Tough On Dumpers - How can we stop illegal dumping in Alabama? Enforce the law.

The Jefferson County Commission is doing just that. Since the first of the year, the County has investigated 80 incidents of illegal dumping, resulting in 196 suspects and 34 convictions. There are many more suspects than convictions because there are often several family members' names at one dumpsite. The County usually prosecutes the member of the family who admits to the dumping.

7. BEN Notes : Ruffner Mountain "Fishes of Alabama", Lung Association's Emissions Testing Schedule, Northeast Alabama Environmental Conference, SEC's EcoTour, AEC's New Director

Ruffner Mountain "Fishes of Alabama" - On August 18, 9:00am, at Ruffner Mountain, Dr. Robert Stiles of Samford University will be leading participants to several local fishing sites. Learn how to identify fish and their habits. Prepare to get wet and remember to bring a change of clothes, towels and lunch. For more information about this unique tour, contact Ruffner Mountain at 833-8264.

Lung Association's Emissions Testing Schedule - Want to do your share for clean air? Get your car's emissions checked out this summer (I got my 1988 Volvo tested last week and it passed). The American Lung Association of Alabama will be holding several emissions testing "days" in and around Jefferson and Shelby counties. The following is the testing schedule for the next few weeks. If you have any questions about the program call the ALAA at 205-933-8821.

August 2nd, 9:30-6:30, at the BP off Hwys 280 and 119
August 3rd, 9:30-6:30, at Bruno's Hoover/Vestavia location near I-65/Hwy31
August 17th, 9:30-6:30, at the BP in Irondale
August 24th, 9:30-6:30, at Serra Toyota in Center Point

Northeast Alabama Environmental Conference - If you care about the environment and live in Northeast Alabama, several groups are holding a "Northeast Alabama Environmental Conference" on Saturday, August 11th, 10-6, at the Anniston City Meeting Center. For more information call 256-237-0799.

SEC's Urban Eco-Tour - The Southern Environmental Center (SEC) is offering this fall a very unique tour - an Urban Eco-Tour to Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Join the SEC for a guided tour of award winning eco-buildings, urban "green" spaces, parks and public art, plus Longwood Gardens, Fallingwater and the home of Rachel Carson.

The 4 day tour begins Thursday, September 13th and ends Sunday, September 16th (4 days and 3 nights). The price of the trip is $850 per person, double occupancy, land only. Airfare will be confirmed after reservation are received. A $200 deposit holds your space. If you are interested in this fantastic tour contact Shelly Green at: 205-226-4934 or 205-980-1914. The deadline to secure a space is August 13th.

AEC's New Director - The Alabama Environmental Council has hired Rachel Reinhart to become the 10th Executive Director in organization's 34 year history. Before taking the job at the AEC, Rachel worked as a non-profit consultant. She has deep roots in Alabama's environmental community having worked for the Alabama Conservancy (*I actually hired her 11 years ago when I was the director -PB), Ruffner Mountain and the Cahaba River Society. Recently, she has been instrumental in the founding of a new non-profit communications environmental group called RiverVision.

Rachel will be replacing Kirsten Bryant who will be having her first child this month. During Kirsten's two year tenure, the AEC re-opened the recycling center in downtown Birmingham, expanded the number of AEC chapters across the state and renewed and strengthen the AEC's Watchdog and enforcement campaigns.

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