1) Alabama Supreme Court Reverses $52 Million Water Pollution Case
2) EPA Finds High Levels Of Lead In Anniston
3) Nearly $75 Million Coming To Alabama If CARA Passes: The Breakdown
4) Governor Siegelman Commits Alabama To Forest Legacy Program
5) Employment Opportunities: Nature Conservancy and Legacy
6) BEN Notes

1. Alabama Supreme Court Reverses $52 Million Water Pollution Case - In a stunning reversal, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled last week (Aug. 4) that three of the state's biggest corporations will not have to pay $52 million to
Lake Martin homeowners who claimed the lake was polluted by local textile mills.

The homeowners claimed that dye from Russell Corp. and Avondale Mills textile plants polluted the lake and decreased the value of their property.  The Supreme Court found, however, that the five homeowners failed to prove contamination.  The state's highest court reversed the jury verdict and ruled in favor of Russell, Avondale, and Alabama Power, which created Lake Martin with a dam.

In 1998, a Jefferson County jury awarded each family $10.4 million in punitive damages, along with compensatory property damages ranging from $20,000 to $39,500.  The jury also decided that Russell Corp. was responsible for 50 percent of the damages, Avondale 30 percent and Alabama Power for 20 percent.

Voting for the ruling (the reversal) were Chief Justice Perry Hooper, Sr., and justices Gorman Houston, Harold See, Champ Lyons, Jean Brown and Hugh Maddox.  Justices Ralph Cooke and Doug Johnstone concurred with part of the decision in favor of Alabama Power, but said the residents established their case against the textile companies. Justice John England also dissented from part of the majority decision.

2. EPA Finds High Levels Of Lead In Anniston - EPA officials announced yesterday (Aug. 7) that they have found unsafe levels of lead at 70 percent of the PCB contaminated spots in Anniston, Alabama.

Karen Knight of the EPA, said officials are still trying to pinpoint the source of the lead, which may have come from lead vats used by the Montsano Co.  EPA has already sent letters 47 landowners telling them the lead found in their soil is a hazard.  Knight said that all children under age 6 in those homes should be given blood tests which the Alabama Department Public
Health is providing  for free.  Lead can cause brain and nerve damage in children, and can lead to lowered intelligence and learning problems.

The EPA set up an office in Anniston in February to work on the PCB problem. The lead problem emerged when screenings of the PCB contaminated soil showed a sample with 1,000 parts of lead per million parts of soil.  The federal government considers lead levels of 400 part per million a health hazard.

3.Nearly $75 Million Coming To Alabama If CARA Passes: The Breakdown - The Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA) which has passed the U.S. House of Representatives and awaits a vote in the U.S. Senate will be a boon for Alabama conservation programs if passed into law.

Under the current Senate compromise, Alabama's share from CARA has jumped $53 million a year in the U.S. House version to nearly $75 million a year in the current Senate version. The increase in support toward Alabama has been credited to Sen. Jeff Sessions.  Here is a breakdown on how CARA monies would be spent in Alabama, if the Senate version became law. (Source: Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee)

Federal LWCF - $886,326, State LWCF - $7,937,356, Coastal Programs - $660,970, Coastal Stewardship - $4,032,258, Enforcement/Research $1,672,726, Coastal Impact - $46,000,000, Wildlife Conservation - $5,327,596, Historic Preservation - $2,261,684, National Park and Indian Restoration - 300,000, Urban Parks - $880,639, Urban Forestry - $1,070,000, Youth Conservation Corps - $956,160, Rural Development and Economic Recovery - 1,300,000, Payment Lieu of Taxes -$996,069, Total - $74,381,783

To learn more about CARA visit the following websites http://www.teaming.com and http://www.ahrinfo.org or e-mail Pat Byington at: pkbyington@aol.com

4. Governor Siegelman Commits Alabama To Forest Legacy Program - Acting on a request from State Forester Tim Boyce and supported by Conservation Commissioner Riley Smith, Governor Don Siegelman has set into motion the
process for Alabama to join the Forest Legacy Program.

The Forest Legacy Program provides federal funding for up to 75 percent of the cost of conservation easements and fee interests on forest lands that are threatened with conversion.  Prompted primarily by threats to northeastern forests, the program established in 1990, was initially restricted, but is now potentially open to any state with threatened forest land.  Currently 16
states qualify for Forest Legacy funds.

The Alabama Forestry Commission will be contracting with the Alabama Forest Resources Center, a nonprofit land trust organization that deals with conservation easements on working forests in Alabama, to administer the program. Presently, the center is working directly with the Forestry Commission to develop the state assessment of need.

This is an exciting new program that will benefit Alabama's environment, forests and landowners.  To learn more about the Forest Legacy Program contact Dan Dumont, Director of the Alabama Forest Resources Center at: 334-304-0043 or afrc@prodigy.net

5. Employment Opportunities: Nature Conservancy and Legacy - Please take note of the following environmental employment opportunities in Birmingham and Montgomery. Feel free to share this information.

Position Available: Nature Conservancy of Alabama Financial Coordinator - This position is responsible for TNC's financial record keeping, budgeting, project budget oversight, monthly financial reports, tracking of government grants and assist in monitoring the receipt and allocation of gifts
Requirements: Minimum of Associate degree and 3 years experience focused on accounting, related  bookkeeping experience, preferably with a nonprofit organization.  For a full job description contact Anita Hill at 205-251-1155. Send cover letter/resume to Anita Hill, The Nature Conservancy, 2821-C  2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, Alabama 35233.  The closing date is August 15th.

Position Available: Legacy, Inc., Partners in Education Outreach Coordinator - This position is responsible for developing and implementing environmental public awareness programs, managing and recruiting volunteers, serving as staff liaison in the state of Alabama, marketing Legacy programs to the public, soliciting inkind support for the organization and preparing mailing
and correspondence. This position is located in Montgomery.
Requirements: Bachelor's Degree in Public Relations/Marketing or 5 years experience in a related field; knowledge of environmental issues impacting Alabama; strong interpersonal, organizational, computer skills; and ability to motivate
volunteers. Candidate should forward resume, cover letter and salary requirements by August 9th. (See address below)

Position Available: Legacy Inc. Business Manager - This position is responsible for managing Legacy's accounting system to include payroll, accounts payable/receivable, taxes and insurance, and other financial matters.  General office duties will include answering phones, handling and processing mail, managing office machines and equipment and any related
maintenance or leasing issues. 
Requirements: Bachelor's Degree in Accounting or related field; or at least 5 years of bookkeeping/accounting experience,
preferably in a 501 (C) (3) organization, inventory management skills, third party audit experience; strong organizational skills.  Candidates should forward resume and cover letter and salary requirements to arrive no later than August 14th.

Send Legacy resumes and cover letters to: Legacy Inc.  P.O. Box 3813, Montgomery, Al. 36109 - Fax -334-270-5527 or Fed Ex - 5967 Monticello Drive, Montgomery, Alabama 36117.

6. BEN Notes:

Calendar Time - BEN is still compiling a Fall environmental calendar. If you have an event you would like publicized - please send details to: pkbyington@aol.com  Our deadline is August 10.

The Daily Grist - BEN has found a great source of environmental info for "Green news junkies."  Sign on to the Daily Grist and you will receive a daily dose of concise enviro stories.  Visit the Daily Grist website at: http://www.gristmagazine.com/grist/signup/tell_pal.asp

Dauphin Island Sea Lab - More proof that it is a program all Alabamians should be proud of - Dauphin Island Sea Lab's John Dindo recently received the James Centorino Award from the National Marine Educators Association for outstanding leadership and program development.

Region 2020 - Please check out Region 2020's online newsletter. Good stuff! http://www.region2020.org/announcements/announcements.html

Soil Watch Workshop - Want to learn how to combat Alabama's number one water pollution problem (non-point source pollution)?  Join the Alabama Environmental Council at the Southern Environmental Center on the Birmingham
Southern College campus - Saturday, August 19th from 9:00 to 3:00  for their first ever Soil Watch Workshop. To register, call - 205-322-3126 or 1-800-982-4364.

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