Reducing Cancer Risk

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Alabama, killing about one in every five Alabamians who die each year. Each year, 24,000 Alabamians are diagnosed with cancer and the state ranks sixth highest in the country in cancer mortality rate.

Prior to April of 2008, Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) issues permits allowing industries to discharge cancer-causing chemicals into our rivers and lakes at a level ten times less protective than almost any other state in the Southeast.   

In June of 2007, eighteen organizations, including the Alabama Rivers Alliance, put forth a petition asking the Environmental Management Commission to strenghten policy governing cancer risk in our water. That petition was denied.

However, the EMC did commission a Cancer Risk Advisory Panel to study the issue further.  This group, consisting of representatives from various state agencies, businesses, public health officials, academia, and environmental organizations, met once and submitted comments to a list of thirty three questions.  Rivers Alliance partners, Conservation Alabama and Mobile Baykeeper, participated in the panel.  Responses can be found on the ADEM website www.adem.state.al.us. 

On December 14, 2007, the EMC voted to move forward and initiate rule making regarding the allowable level of carcinogens in Alabama waterways, a first step toward making water cleaner and safer across Alabama.

The commission also voted to hold 2 of their meetings outside of Montgomery in other parts of the state to encourage more attendance by the public.  The ADEM Reform Coalition, a coalition of 41 member organizations from across the state including the Alabama Rivers Alliance, recommended this idea in our original Blueprint for ADEM Reform published in 2002.  The idea of moving the meeting locations and times to accommodate working citizens is Blueprint recommendation #20.  We commend the Commission for recognizing the importance of fostering more public participation and awareness in the important work of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management.

The Commission also passed several other important water quality rule-making changes that will help improve the standards under which Alabama’s waterways are protected. 

This example shows that citizen advocacy and participation does work!

The Alabama Rivers Alliance would especially like to thank attorney, David Ludder, who has been a steadfast source of leadership, knowledge, and hard work on all of these initiatives.