Cahaba Group of the Sierra Club

BUCKELEW WANTS JEFFERSON COUNTY TO PULL OUT OF SWMA

This Tuesday, Halloween, her last day as a Jefferson County Commissioner, Mary Buckelew will attempt to have Jefferson County withdraw its participation in the Storm Water Management Authority (SWMA).

SWMA has been an effective agency for decreasing pollution in stormwater runoff, which is essential to restoring the Cahaba, Black Warrior, and our neighborhood creeks and lakes. We doubt the county would be able to recreate and run more effective programs than SWMA has managed, and believe the County underestimates the federal requirements and costs - meaning greater costs to us.

A County pull-out would reduce revenue to SWMA and is part of the strategy of the BARD developer group to weaken SWMA. Commissioner Buckelew's proposal is not in the interest of Jefferson County citizens, nor would it benefit the quality and health of our rivers and streams.

We are urging our Jefferson County members to call their Commissioner to say you do not want the County to withdraw its participation in SWMA.

If such a change is to be made, let the newly seated Commission make that decision. Then they can be held accountable for their decision. To allow such a decision to be made by this lame duck commission is poor government. Please call or email your Commissioner before Tuesday, Oct 31st.

President Larry Langford langfordl@jccal.org or 325-5504

Mary Buckelew (don't bother to try changing her mind)

Bettye Fine Collins collinsbfine@jccal.org or 325-5070

Sheila Smoot smoots@jccal.org or 325-5074

Gary White whiteg@jccal.org or 325-5503

This is a very important threat to effective stormwater pollution control for Jefferson County. We hope you can make time to call or write.

Thanks to Beth Stewart of the Cahaba River Society for this information.

BARD Floodplain Ordinance

Coming soon to your city: the BARD floodplain ordinance

Directly after the public hearing today the Jefferson County Commission unwisely passed the BARD-drafted floodplain ordinance. It surely appeared that their minds were made up before the hearing. They only received the complete packet of written public comments after 5:00 yesterday.

Our deep thanks to all of you who sent in comments - it is very important for citizens to keep pushing for a truly democratic process of government, and we can only do that if we participate actively, loudly, and often!

Now Jefferson County will send the BARD ordinance to each city in the County and ask that they adopt it. However, the cities can adopt a stronger version. In fact, they can adopt language from the Planning Commission's recommended version, which has all of the basic requirements of the BARD ordinance and is stronger in some very essential ways. (A comparison of the 2 ordinances is attached, along with CRS's public hearing comments).

So, next step: let your Mayor know that you want a truly protective ordinance, one that equally protects existing property owners and new residents. Ask them to adopt the areas of stronger language from the Planning Commission version. Let me know if you want to work with us on this.

NO FIX FOR FLOODING IN JEFFERSON COUNTY???

OPPOSE A DEVELOPER-DRAFTED FLOODPLAIN DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE

SUPPORT THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S COMPROMISE FLOODPLAIN PROTECTION ORDINANCE

Room 260, Jeff Co Courthouse, 716 Richard Arrington Jr Blvd N, Birmingham, AL 35203

Also please call/email your County Commissioner - contact info below and attached.

The developers' ordinance is atjeffcointouch.com (scroll down home page to “Public Comment – Draft Model Floodplain Ordinance”).

Planning Commission's recommended ordinance is at www.cahabariversociety.org (We couldn't find it on the County's own website)

Please distribute the attached flyer and this email to your members! You can substitute your own organization's logo and info if you wish. More info below-

Jefferson County intended to adopt an ordinance to better protect its citizens from flooding. However, the Commissioners are on track to ignore recommendations from flood victims, other citizens, watershed protection groups, and their own Planning Commission. The County Commission has drowned the draft compromise ordinance recommended to them by their Planning Commission, and is instead holding a public hearing on the ordinance drafted by a developer group BARD, which includes US Steel, Drummond Co., Alabama Power, Greater Association of Homebuilders, and others.

The County Commission should instead adopt the reasonable ordinance recommended by their Planning Commission after substantial research and public involvement. The Planning Commission WISELY declined to approve the developers’ ordinance and revised it as a compromise proposal. Here’s why:

Allows more fill and development in floodplains based on certification of developer’s engineer

Higher standards will protect new residents that move into the floodplain, but will put existing residents/businesses at greater flood risk

Doesn’t require consideration of the cumulative impact of fill in floodplains by many developments, which displace flood waters onto existing residents, causing those already living in floodplains to be flooded more frequently at higher flood depths, and sending flooding onto properties that were not flooded in the past.

Puts the burden of proof on the county and cities for costly flood studies to show if the development would worsen flooding

Sends all requests for fill in the floodplain to a special Appeals Board for close review

Flood studies must ensure there will be no flooding impact on upstream and downstream properties and must consider cumulative impacts of existing and proposed development in that watershed

Burden of proof and costs for flood studies would be properly on the developer, when Appeals Board requires studies

Shelia Smoot

Mary Buckelew

Gary White

Goal of the Ordinance: Jefferson County is considering how to improve protection of existing natural flood storage lands – the “floodplain” – in our communities. An aim of the County’s proposed ordinance should be to prevent future flooding from getting any worse due to new development. The developers’ ordinance will not accomplish that. The ordinance also aims to lower flood insurance rates, meet new FEMA standards, and create better county-wide floodplain mapping for more accurate flood studies.

How Could This Affect City Residents? The ordinance adopted by the County would apply in unincorporated areas. The County wants every city to adopt the same model ordinance to apply within their borders. Each city that adopts it will become eligible for County funding for flood mitigation projects to also reduce existing flooding problems. Plus, bad floodplain development policies in another jurisdiction upstream from you can worsen flooding in your neighborhood.

Developers’ Approach is Outdated and Flawed: The Developers’ ordinance is based on FEMA standards. The Association of State Floodplain Managers is the national professional group for 8,000 public and private sector experts in this field. ASFPM finds that the FEMA approach is flawed and has not effectively prevented development from worsening the frequency and size of floods. The ASFM website (www.floods.org - see No Adverse Impact) is an excellent resource to help evaluate the ordinances. It states: “The net result [of current floodplain management] is that through our actions we are intensifying damage potentials in the nation’s floodplains. The current course is one that is not equitable to those whose property is impacted, and is a course that has shown to not be economically sustainable.” See summary at http://www.cahabariversociety.org/index2.htm

Floodplain Protection is Smart Growth: A stronger floodplain protection ordinance would allow wise growth that will not damage our water resources or make flooding worse, which protects property values and businesses in the community. It would allow reasonable development of properties in flood-prone areas. If someone has property that is all or mostly floodplain, variance procedures should be available to ensure a reasonable use of the property. This should be an exception, not the rule. A much stronger floodplain protection ordinance has been adopted in 90 cities and 16 counties in North Georgia, including the Atlanta region. Those communities are still growing strongly. See summary at http://www.cahabariversociety.org/index2.htm.

Birmingham AL – The hybrids are here! The hybrids are here! On Friday June 30, sixteen hybrid car owners formed a CARavan of change. The gas-sipping cars, their owners, and other people organized by the Sierra Club carpooled to meet members of Alabama Rivers Alliance, Cahaba River Society, and Black Warrior River Keepers for the opening night showing of “An Inconvenient Truth,” the new film about global warming.

The cars arrived with much fanfare—American flags waving from the cars, police escorts, and on-lookers waving. Peggie Griffin, Sierra Club Associate Regional Representative commented, “We are really excited this evening to show you one of the technologies available now—to help curb global warming. I drive a hybrid —and I don’t get 40 mph—I get 50! What a difference it could make for global warming, if everyone drove a hybrid!

We need to send a message to America’s auto makers to build more hybrids!
In this film version of his oft-given speeches on global warming, former vice president Al Gore makes line graphs funny and shocking as he explains how carbon dioxide emissions are leading up to a deadly “collision between our civilization and the Earth.” Though much of the news is dire, Gore deftly uses the metaphor of Earth as seen from space to show that our planet is small enough for us both to harm and save. In a study conducted of 100 of the nations top climate researchers, those who had seen the movie—and who responded—gave the movie five stars for accuracy. Associated Press writers conducted the study.

“The hybrid caravan illustrates that we do have the tools to start saving the planet,” commented Lisa Evans, of the Southeast Office of the Sierra Club here in Birmingham. “We didn’t want to leave a trail of carbon dioxide down the interstate as we go to watch a film about what that pollutant is doing to our climate.”

“Al Gore gets two thumbs up for educating the public about the potentially disastrous effects of climate change. And I give myself another thumbs up for choosing to drive a car that goes further on a gallon of gas,” said Alabama Sierra Club Chair and hybrid owner Paul Perret. “I know I’m not adding to the problem.”

Speakers at the press conference indicated that there is much that each individual can do to alleviate global warming, such as becoming energy conscious in daily lives, supporting sustainable agriculture, and calling on legislators to raise CAFÉ standards. A demand was made for Southern Company to clean up its coal-fired power plants.

Adam Snyder represented the Alabama Rivers Alliance, David Whiteside represented the Black Warrior River Keepers, Bryan Burgess represented the Sierra Club, while Peggie Griffin presided at the press conference.

Water Sentinel Bryan Burgess and Lisa Evans manned a very popular Cool Cities table outside the door of the theater. Many global warming materials were distributed—and the good news is that eighteen folks signed up to join the work of the Sierra Club!

On Friday, June 9th, members of the Gulf Fisheries Alliance were eager to spend their lunch hours on Mobile’s waterfront listening to Governor Riley veto an open loop LNG terminal planned for 11 miles south of Dauphin Island.

The governor had called a press conference for 11:30, and after months of work, the GFA had apparently convinced him that using billions of gallons of Gulf sea water to warm superchilled liquefied natural gas was a recipe for disaster for Alabama’s seafood.

But electronic high fives and congratulatory calls began before breakfast. Friday’s Mobile Press-Register’s top headline on page one read: “ConocoPhillips Withdraws LNG Proposal.” Warned about the impending veto, the company withdrew its open loop permit application, saying later that the decision to re-apply with a closed loop system would be made after considering economic factors. (I suspect that by the time you read this, another permit application will be in the hands of the U.S. Maritime Administration.) Governor Riley confirmed at the meeting that if the CompassPort
permit had not been withdrawn he would have formally vetoed it.

Riley didn’t bite at the company’s bait of incentives, which included jobs, reserves of gas for Alabama’s use, a guarantee of minimal impact to certain fish species, and a promise to shut down the terminal if damage to the fishing industry proved “harmful.” Riley dismissed the latter as essentially unenforceable.

While the governor made it clear that nothing could mitigate the potential risks to marine life of an open loop LNG system, he used the press conference to say that other new industries along the coast that put a burden on marine resources should be prepared to compensate the state. Referring to a map of pipelines and platforms that stretch across the Gulf from Texas to Alabama and end abruptly many miles short of the shores of Florida (with the exception of a gas pipeline from Mobile to Tampa), Riley said that Alabama has done its share of supplying the nation with energy and suffering the environmental costs while states such as Florida enjoy the benefits while taking none of the risks. [see “Governor Puts Price on Coastal Industries,” Press-Register, Saturday, June10, 2006.] Thanks to everyone who wrote or called the governor asking for his veto of the open loop LNG terminal. Thanks to the Mobile Bay Group members who went to the Gulf Fisheries Alliance meetings or put up yard signs or displayed bumper stickers. Thanks especially to John Howard and David Underhill, who eloquently spoke against ConocoPhillips' unappetizing open loop LNG plan at a packed meeting with the governor on May 24th.

The Sierra Club’s new energy policy promotes conservation and clean, renewable sources. No doubt most of you don’t want to see LNG terminals along our shores. The veto of the open loop CompassPort LNG terminal is only a small victory in the big battle for a smart energy future. Savor this little victory, perhaps over a celebratory dinner of sustainably-managed non-threatened non-farm-raised non-mercury-contaminated Alabama wild fish, bought at your local farmers market, cooked over a wood fire.

The Jefferson County Commission again considered the draft ordinance to manage floodplain fill and development recently.

As CRS recommended, the Planning Commission had directed planning staff to revise the ordinance to find a compromise between the developers' version, previous staff version, and comments of CRS and other organizations. Several commissioners wanted time to carefully review the latest version.They will certainly vote on the ordinance at their July meeting.

While the latest version would be a significant improvement over what is on the books right now in our cities and county, CRS believes there are significant weaknesses in it also, and we have urged the Planning Commission to plug those holes. The comments we gave Planning Commissioners yesterday are in this email below the news article.

The members selected for those boards in each community will make all the difference. Also, flood modeling is an art more than science, can give results that underestimate flooding by as much as one foot. Most engineers do not have the special training to be able to conduct those studies, and many cities do not have staff trained to review them. The County staff could perform that service for a city.

CRS hopes that the Planning Commission will consider these issues and strengthen the ordinance further. However, they have decided there will be no further public comment before they act on the ordinance. Once they vote, the Jefferson County Commission may or may not hold a public hearing. Stay tuned! (Thanks to the Cahaba River Society for this info)

Okay, this isn't actually a "local alert," but the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is in trouble AGAIN! Some House members may force a vote on drilling in the Arctic Refuge as early as this Wednesday. Rep. Richard Pombo (R-CA) has announced the latest drilling vehicle, H.R. 5429, euphemistically labeled "The American-Made Energy and Good Jobs Act."

A House vote on this bill could happen as soon as this Wednesday, May 24, so it is critical that your Representative hear from you as soon as possible. Even if you've taken action on this recently and repeatedly, we urgently need your phone calls to Congress.

1. The Representative should oppose any legislation that would allow drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

2. We can't drill our way to lower gas prices. Drilling in the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge won't provide relief at the pump. Drilling would destroy an irreplaceable wildlife sanctuary, but wouldn't lower prices by more than about a penny a gallon in 2025. That's no solution at all.

3. Congress should focus on clean, renewable energy sources and making our cars go farther on a gallon of gas. Efficiency and renewable energy are the best ways to reduce consumers' costs now and in the future. They are the fastest, cheapest, cleanest way to reduce families' energy costs, increase energy security, end our dangerous oil addiction, and reduce global climate change.

We need to get as many phone calls and emails to Congress as possible in the next few days. Once you've made your phone call, spread the word about this campaign to your friends and family!

JUDGE REJECTS ADEM COAL POLLUTION PERMIT ON
HURRICANE CREEK IN TUSCALOOSA CO.

On April 20, 2006, Montgomery Circuit Court Judge Truman M. Hobbs, Jr. issued an order reversing a coal mining permit issued to Tuscaloosa Resources, Inc. by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM). Judge Hobbs’s decision marks the first time ADEM has been forced through a citizen lawsuit to deny a permit to a coal operator.

“Judge Hobbs’s decision means that ADEM will no longer be allowed to rubber stamp applications from the coal industry to add pollution to Alabama’s waters,” said Adam Snyder, executive director of the Alabama Rivers Alliance, which along with the Friends of Hurricane Creek jointly filed suit against ADEM in 2002 over the issuance of the permit.

The permit authorized Tuscaloosa Resources, Inc. to add iron, aluminum, sediment and other pollutants to Hurricane Creek, but the plaintiffs argued that ADEM should not have issued the permit because the creek is already so polluted that Alabama law prevented ADEM from authorizing further pollution.

“The law is clear that it is ADEM’s job to clean up our polluted waters – not to authorize their further destruction, and the court followed the law,” said Edwin Lamberth of Cunningham, Bounds, Crowder, Brown & Breedlove, who represented the Alliance and the Friends in their appeal of ADEM’s decision to issue the permit. ADEM’s governing body, the Alabama Environmental Management Commission (AEMC) referred the case to an administrative law judge, who sided with the plaintiffs, but then the AEMC rejected the decision of its administrative law judge, and affirmed the permit, which prompted the plaintiff’s appeal to the Circuit Court of Montgomery County.

“The AEMC found that the North Fork of Hurricane Creek is in violation of state water quality standards. However, it concluded that ‘there was no evidence in the record that these impairments are due to iron, aluminum, or turbidity’. (AEMC Order p. 2) This finding is clearly erroneous. Not only is there ample evidence in the record that the impairment is due to ‘iron, aluminum, or turbidity’ but also this Court could discern little to the contrary.”

“We are proud to be part of taking the first legal steps to protect Hurricane Creek from further mining degradation,” said John Wathen, Hurricane Creekkeeper.

April 6, 2006
Thanks so much to everyone who contacted their senator about the Governor's appointments to the Environmental Management Commission (EMC), and to all of you who made the trip to Montgomery! As you may know already, despite our efforts three of the Governor's appointments were confirmed. But your calls did manage to sway 10 votes for environmental protection, and the senators and Governor heard loudly from us! This is not over yet. Due to our efforts and the support of some important Senators like Rodger Smitherman, the Senate did not vote on Pat Byington's position.

(1) CONTACT THE GOVERNOR. Really, this was the Senate passing the buck back to the Governor. There are two ways this could go: Since the Senate did not vote on her, Laurel Gardener, a vet, can take Pat's position in October. Or..the Governor could withdraw the appointment of Gardener, who is not qualified for the position, and reappoint Pat or appoint another qualified person.

With enough pressure from the citizens, the Governor could choose to do the right thing! Our message to the governor should be simple and clear. Laurel Gardener is not qualified for the position (she would have been great for Lester's position, the vet position, but he was reappointed). This is the only EMC position that requires someone with formal training in environmental matters who is a biologist or ecologist, and it is essential to have a well-qualified person in this position. Gardener has no environmental training, Pat Byington does, and he has proven his great value to the EMC. Please tell the Governor to withdraw Gardner's appointment and reappoint Pat or another highly qualified person, preferably from coastal Alabama. Now that Riley Boykin Smith has been replaced, the coast has no representation on the EMC - which is vital considering the impacts of hurricanes and development/rebuilding.

(2) BUILD YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR SENATOR. The list of who voted how on the Lester and Wainwright reappointments is below. A "No" vote was a vote for the environment. Please contact your senator with a strong "thank you" if they voted no. Ask them to call the Governor as well.

For those senators that voted yes, we have work to do to inform them about the problems at ADEM and win their support for ADEM reform. Contact them and let them know you are dissapointed in their vote and this is very important to you. Will you tell them you want a chance to meet with them after the session about ADEM and environmental protection? Let us know if you are willing to work with the ADEM Reform Coalition and others in your district to talk with your senator. Let's make sure that we have a stronger relationship with them the next time we need them!

Write letters to the editor calling for the withdrawal of Gardner's appointment and the reappointment of Pat or another highly qualified person, preferably from the coastal AL.

Let's keep up the good work! We are making environmental issues and ADEM Reform BIG NEWS and helping to educate the Senate and the Governor that many Alabamians want them to protect our environment!

Cahaba friends - if you have called your senator, thank you so much! If not, please do it now - it will take tremendous public pressure to get the Senate to vote "no" on the Governor's appointment of Lester, Wainwright and Gardener! Our action alert with all the info you need is below.
Dear fellow Alabamian - the outcome of the battle over Governor Riley's EMC appointments will determine whether our state environmental agency, ADEM, sinks back into weakness or stays on course for reform - and you are making the difference!

Please read this and take a moment to ACT NOW to ensure that three of Governor Riley's four appointments to the Environmental Management Commission (EMC) - the body that oversees ADEM- DO NOT get approved! Our joint efforts were effective yesterday in delaying the Senate vote until next Tuesday. This bought us some time, but we cannot let up now!

Action Needed!
The Senate reconvenes TUESDAY, APRIL 4 AT 2 P.M. when they will vote on these appointments. Please call your state Senators today, over the weekend and Monday at home, and Tuesday morning at their Montgomery offices to VOTE NO on Sam Wainwright, John Lester, and Laurel Gardner as appointments to the Environmental Management Commission. There must be a vote because, if they are not voted on they will be automatically approved when the legislative session ends next week.

(See instructions at bottom of email for finding your state Senator's contact info - senators list there )

What's Happening?
Governor Riley, in a clearly political move, is attempting to undermine all the progress that environmentally conscious citizens have been making over the last few years, by reappointing two members to the Environmental Management Commission who have consistently voted against citizens and the environment, and by replacing Pat Byington, who has been a champion for environmental protection and public health.

This is vitally important to the health of Alabama's environment and our communities - please help!

The Jefferson County Commission, and the Cities of Hoover, Birmingham and Bessemer, will sponsor the 4th Annual Countywide Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Day this year on Saturday, April 22nd from 8 am until noon at the following sites: Hoover Metropolitan Stadium, Bessemer Civic Center, Center Point Courthouse, and the Alabama State Fairgrounds. This event is open to all Jefferson County residents at no charge.

HHW is waste routinely found in the home that can catch fire, react, or explode under certain circumstances, or that may be corrosive or toxic. Some of the more common varieties include certain kinds of paints, paint thinners, car batteries, pesticides or herbicides, unusable gasoline or kerosene contaminated with water, and used motor oil, to name just a few. As you might suspect, most basements and storage sheds boast an ample amount of these products which can not be introduced into the traditional waste stream.

We are writing to ask for your assistance with this important project by helping us advertise the event by telling friends, neighbors, and colleagues about this chance to properly dispose of these troubling items. Posters are available upon request.

If you would like to volunteer for this half-day event, call us at 205/325-8712.

Thank you in advance for your assistance with this exciting multi-jurisdictional project.

Jan Trucks, Event Coordinator

Jefferson County Household Hazardous Waste Day
Jefferson County Commission - Environmental Protection Division
716 Richard Arrington Jr., Blvd., Room 410
Birmingham, AL 35203
205/325-8712 | trucksj@jccal.org

If you did not see the report of a massive sewage spill in Shades Creek, the news report is below. Of greatest concern is that the County did not notify the public for 5 days.

This is a serious public health risk. No one should recreate in Shades Creek downstream from the spill for some time. The spill occured in the creek downstream from Shannon and below Bluff Park. We have asked the Jefferson County Health Department to work with the County and ADEM to evaluate the public health risks and give more information to the public about the nature of the threat and how long to avoid contact with the creek.

Studies have shown that human bacteria and viruses can persist in creeks for months. This was a very large spill - at least 6 times as much sewage as the entire Trussville community produces each day. Yes, it was "diluted" by the flow of the creek - but pathogens persist and dilution spreads them.

Put in perspective, this is far less than the huge spills that used to occur before the County rehabilitated the sewer system. Large spills like this are rare now. However, the County should work with the Health Department to quickly warn the public when a large spill occurs. What was the cause?

The Birmingham News article quotes the County as blaming heavy rains and said that they did not realize the sewer line did not have enough capacity to handle the sewage from Irondale, Mountain Brook, and Homewood. However, rainfall records from the area of the airport show only 2.1 inches of rain for Wednesday and Thursday and very low rainfall for several days before that. This is normal rainfall, not an excessive rain.

Also, it's surprising that the County would not have studied the flow in this line and its capacity, since there is substantial development underway nearby in Ross Bridge.

If you haven't contacted Jefferson County to support a strong floodplain protection ordinance - PLEASE DO IT TODAY! If you already have - thank you, and pass this on!

Your letter or email to Jeff Co Planning Commission by February 26 can help protect Jefferson Countians from flooding - and help restore the Cahaba and streams in your neighborhood !

Call 325-5640 for more information
and copy Larry Langford, President, Jefferson County Commission at above address and langfordl@jccal.org

MORE INFO:
Flooding that has been caused or worsened by new development is a serious problem, and our communities need stronger regulations to prevent it from getting even worse. The Jefferson County Planning Commission is considering how to improve protection of existing natural flood storage lands – the “floodplain” – in our communities. When much of the floodplain is filled for new development, the displaced flood waters cause higher and more frequent floods and new flooded areas on other people’s properties.

If the County adopts a strong floodplain protection ordinance, it will be available to all the cities as a model. As an incentive for each city in Jefferson County to adopt it to apply within their borders, the city will also become eligible for County funding for flood mitigation projects to also reduce existing flooding problems.

Last year the Jefferson County planning staff proposed a strong floodplain protection ordinance that had been thoroughly reviewed by all stakeholders. Unfortunately, some development interests tried to substitute a weaker ordinance for the one the County staff drafted. Although their ordinance had some improvements to reduce flood insurance costs, in an essential way the developers' ordinance is NOT the right approach - it would continue the practice of filling and building in the floodplain and would cause worse flooding over time.

At a recent public hearing, the Planning Commission sent the developers’ ordinance back to their staff, directed them to revise it, and extended the public comment period until February 26.

Learn why a stronger floodplain ordinance is necessary and what it will accomplish at www.cahabariversociety.org - with links to the proposed ordinances.

This is an essential step to implement the recommendations of the Upper Cahaba Watershed Study, which proposes a responsible agenda for river restoration and growth.

Larry Langford, President - District 1: Birmingham, Fultondale, Fairfield - Tel. 325-5504 Fax. 325-5950
Sheila Smoot - District 2: Midfield, Brighton, Lipscomb, Bessemer - Tel. 325-5074 Fax. 325-4878
Mary Buckelew - District 3: Hoover, Hueytown, Pleasant Grove, (Helena), Adamsville, Graysville, Sumiton, West Jefferson - Tel. 325-5555 Fax. 325-4860
Bettye Fine Collins - District 4: Kimberly, Trussville, Clay, Morris, Gardendale, Argo, Centerpoint, Tarrant - Tel. 325-5070 Fax. 325-4881
Gary White - District 5: Leeds, Mt. Brook, Homewood, Vestavia Hills - Tel. 325-5503 Fax 325-5960

USA Today recently reported that four of the nation’s largest poultry corporations—Tyson Foods, Gold Kist, Perdue Farms, and Foster Farms—have sharply cut back on their use of antibiotics in the feed of chickens that are not sick. Tyson officials said this reduction in “nontherapeutic” antibiotic use was made possible by improving animals’ living conditions and by breeding hardier chickens.

Antibiotics are commonly added to the feed and water of animals being raised for human consumption, a practice with serious consequences for our health. Bacteria that are constantly exposed to antibiotics develop resistance to these drugs. When humans get sick from resistant bacteria, the antibiotics prescribed will no longer work.

KAW applauds Tyson Foods, Gold Kist, Perdue Farms, and Foster Farms for taking this important step to protect human health by reducing their use of medically important antibiotics. Now we need your help to urge Pilgrim’s Pride, the nation’s #2 chicken producer, to adopt a similar plan to reduce unnecessary uses of antibiotics. Write to Pilgrim’s Pride today and urge the company to protect the health of its customers by reducing antibiotic use in chickens! View the full petition by clicking below.

Shelia Smoot

Mary Buckelew

Gary White

JUDGE REJECTS ADEM COAL POLLUTION PERMIT ON HURRICANE CREEK IN TUSCALOOSA CO.

JUDGE REJECTS ADEM COAL POLLUTION PERMIT ON
HURRICANE CREEK IN TUSCALOOSA CO.