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Up one levelYou only get one fall each year
In the fall of 1990, my wife and I were newlyweds when Alabama Conservancy founders Bob and Mary Burks took us on a slow, meandering afternoon ride through the neighborhoods of Birmingham. We spent the entire afternoon looking at the colorful fall leaves. My wife Kathy, a lifelong resident of the evergreen Pacific Northwest, had just arrived in Alabama that summer. It was her first experience seeing leaves change colors in the South. After driving for awhile and taking in a display of bursting colors and falling leaves greater than any fireworks show, Mary Burks turned around and with a welcoming smile, said: “You only get one fall each year.”
U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals Upholds Citizen Suit Enforcement of Clean Water Act
In Black Warrior Riverkeeper v. Cherokee Mining, LLC, the federal Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on November 13, 2008 that a Clean Water Act citizen suit is not barred by a state administrative action commenced after a citizen group gives notice of its intent to sue to abate water pollution.
U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals Upholds Citizen Suit Enforcement of Clean Water Act
In Black Warrior Riverkeeper v. Cherokee Mining, LLC, the federal Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on November 13, 2008 that a Clean Water Act citizen suit is not barred by a state administrative action commenced after a citizen group gives notice of its intent to sue to abate water pollution.
Quarry quashed VW plant?: Megasite owner makes claim at environmental meeting over proposed site
The co-owner of the Tennessee Valley Authority Megasite where Volkswagen considered building a plant said she "had a good feeling" a proposed rock quarry led the automaker to choose Chattanooga instead.
Key found to halt quarry?
- An agent for the Alabama Rivers Alliance may have the key to blocking a proposed limestone quarry near Tanner. Elizabeth Salter told more than 100 people at a public hearing Thursday at Calhoun Community College that a court ruling upheld in Tuscaloosa County prevented any development that would further pollute an already polluted waterway.
Birmingham Hosts Unique Environmental Film Festival at McWane Science Ctr.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala (Oct. 16, 2008): The largest environmental film festival in North America is coming to Birmingham. Join the Alabama Rivers Alliance and the Alabama Environmental Council as they host the Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival on November 6, 2008 at the McWane Science Center. Doors will open at 5:30pm.
Protecting Alabama’s waterways
A special issue of Scientific American begins “Catch 22: Water vs. Energy” by describing the battle Alabama has been locked in for two decades with Tennessee, Florida and Georgia over water. In response to a plan to reduce water flows from reservoirs in Georgia, the article explains, Alabama objected because it was worried about nuclear power plants that use enormous quantities of water to cool their reactors. There was potential that the Farley Plant near Dothan would shut down.
Endangered species ruling likely to slow development
WASHINGTON — A ruling that development along dozens of rivers flowing from the Cascade Mountains to Washington state's Puget Sound jeopardizes endangered salmon, steelhead and killer whales could shape future construction in floodplains nationwide.
Scientific Reccommendations for Roebuck Springs
Science-based Recommendations for the Near- and Long-term Survival of the Watercress Darter (Etheostoma nuchale) in Roebuck Springs, Birmingham Alabama. Dr. R. Scot Duncan1, Dr. Bernard R. Kuhajda2, Brook Fluker2, Dr. Larry Davenport3, Dr. William (Mike) Howell3, Dr. Ken R. Marion4, and Dr. Robert A. Stiles3 October 3, 2008 1 Birmingham-Southern College, Department of Biology 2 University of Alabama, Department of Biological Sciences 3 Samford University, Department of Biology 4 University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Biology
Corps of Engineer’s update of the operating manuals for the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa basin
The US Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District intends to prepare an update of the Water Control Manuals for the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa (ACT) River Basin.
Rivers and cookies
Fourth-grade students at Tuscaloosa Academy applied their knowledge about Alabama waterways by using blue icing to decorate large Alabama-shaped cookies on Friday at Tuscaloosa Academy.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service orders endangered watercress darter pond restored in Birmingham
Federal officials have issued emergency orders to rebuild the Roebuck Springs pond where more than 1,000 endangered watercress darters were killed Friday when city workers destroyed a dam.
Speaker's Stand ... Kudos to Shelby for leadership By Cindy Lowry and Gerrit Jobsis
Dam removal kills more than 1,000 endangered fish at Roebuck Springs
A thousand or more endangered watercress darters were killed when the city of Birmingham drained most of the water out of a pond at Roebuck Springs, one of the state's top fish experts said Monday.
Third annual River Revival bluegrass festival Sept 21, 2008
Alabama river basins contain imperiled fish
Alabama is No. 3 in the nation for imperiled fish, according to the first continent-wide study of fishes in 19 years.
ACTION ALERT: Meeting of Joint Legislative Committee for Water Policy and Management
The Joint Legislative Committee for Water Policy and Management is getting underway. The next meeting is scheduled for September 23 at Guntersville State Park. Although the agenda has not been published, the next meeting reportedly will cover environmental and recreational issues. I encourage you to attend this ground breaking committee meeting and support the water issues that are important to you.
ECOVIEWS: John Wathen is helping to save Hurricane Creek
Some environmental stories are worth updating and retelling, especially when they have good endings, such as this one.
ACTION ALERT: Proposed rollbacks to Alabama's Air Quality Standards endanger human health
Regulatory agencies that are charged with protecting human health and the environment should show extra caution during this time of poor air quality.
You only get one fall each year
Raindrop Art Sale