Glynn Wilson / Southwings

A closer view of the growing coal ash mountain in Perry County, Alabama

by Robert D. Bullard

It has been little over two weeks since environmental justice leaders in the South delivered an 11-point Call to Action plan for reform of EPA Region 4 — eight states in the southern United States (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee). Leaders from all across the region called for targeted enforcement to address environmental racism and pollution “hot spots” that pose disproportionate environmental health threats to low-income communities and communities of color.

Clearly, healthy places and healthy people are highly correlated, with the poorest of the poor within the region having the worst health and the most degraded environments. Race and class map closely with vulnerability.

One of the best indicators of an individual’s health is one’s street address, Zip Code, or neighborhood. More than 100 studies now link racism to worse health. More than 200 environmental studies have shown race and class disparities.

It is no accident that six of Forbes’ “Top 10 Unhealthiest States” in 2009 were found in Region 4. Mississippi was ranked the 50th unhealthiest state in 2009. Above Mississippi were Oklahoma (49th), Alabama (48th), Louisiana (47th), and South Carolina (46th), Nevada (45th), Tennessee (44th), Georgia (43rd), West Virginia (42nd), and Kentucky (41st).

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Alabama Surface Mining Commission Did Not Meet Regulatory Requirements

The Birmingham Water Works Board has filed an appeal against the Alabama Surface Mining Commission’s permit for a Drummond Coal mine at the Shepherd Bend along the Mulberry Fork of the Black Warrior River.

The proposed strip mine site will discharge 2,200 feet upstream of the Mulberry drinking water Intake, and future phases would bring discharges as close as 800 feet from the source of Birmingham’s drinking water supply.

Birmingham officials expressed concerns that chemicals discharged into the water source could adversely affect water quality, and is challenging the permit on the grounds that it does not meet certain state administrative code requirements.

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In response to new information and community action against the proposed Shepherds Bend mine on University of Alabama property, students held a press conference on Monday and announced the beginning of a pledge drive to start a student boycott of UA services should the administration lease the land for a coal mine.

Elyse Peters, a sophomore majoring in Civic Engagement through New College and an active member of the UA Environmental Council, spoke in opposition to the mine, in an effort to protect her university’s reputation.

“At first, we thought that this would be a new practice — that our university would only marginally consider mining,” Peters said. “We now know that this isn’t the case: not only has the university leased its land to coal companies in the past, but it actually has an active mine, Haley Brothers-University Pit, on some of its land in Marion County. We are proud to be here, to be part of this university, but we do not support the prospects of a new mine on this campus.”

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Students to Speak Out Against Proposed Shepherds Bend Mine on University Property

Glynn Wilson

Mallory Flowers and Adelaide Abele of the Coalition of Alabama Students for the Environment catching a little sun and WiFi time at the Alabama Sierra Club’s recent retreat in DeSoto State Park.

In response to new information and community action against the proposed Shepherds Bend mine on University of Alabama property, students have called a press conference for Monday, November 15 at 1 p.m. in the Ferguson Center, Room 309.

Students will present updates on the progress of the proposed mine, clarify their concerns and announce their coordinated response plan. Community members will provide insight into this mine’s effect on their local economy.

“We want to be sure that the community understands and is up to date on the latest news regarding this issue and how it affects us,” Caitlin Bowman, a student working with the Coalition of Alabama Students for the Environment, said in a press release. “We’re giving the press the opportunity to speak directly to students to find out how we are working to keep our school’s name clear of a potential public hazard.”

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Glynn Wilson / Southwings

A closer view of the growing coal ash mountain in Perry County, Alabama

For three months now, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has been taking comments on its plan to clean up some of the most dangerous coal ash sites in America. With only one week left, the public can still send a message to the Obama administration’s EPA that America needs strong, federally enforceable safeguards that protect communities and their drinking water from coal ash contamination.

Coal ash is the leftover toxic remains from coal-fired power plants. Enough coal ash is generated each year to fill more than 340,000 jumbo 747 airplanes. Coal ash contaminates drinking water and causes cancer, organ damage, neurological damage and much more. Power companies just dump their coal ash into unlined landfills. Household garbage is better regulated than this toxic waste.

Two and a half years ago, a billion gallons of coal ash in Tennessee burst through a dam and spread across 300 acres of pristine woodlands, poisoning two rivers and destroying and damaging dozens of homes. The EPA estimates that if a spill occurred at one of 49 other coal ash sites across the country, loss of human life is very likely to occur.

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is finalizing two very important and historic decisions on mountaintop removal coal mining, a destructive mining practice that is obliterating mountains and streams throughout Appalachia.

More than 2,000 miles of streams have been buried by mountaintop removal coal mining to date. The two decisions proposed by the EPA will be progress toward making sure that the people and the wildlife of Appalachia are being protected by longstanding law, but as usual, the coal industry is coming out railing against this progress.

“There is no worse crime against the environment and against the people of Appalachia, their health and their future than mountaintop removal mining,” according to Earthjustice.

The non-profit environmental advocacy group is asking the public to get involved to help stop this tragic practice, by sending a message to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson to follow through on both these decisions and begin to restore protections to Appalachia.

One of President Obama’s first promises when he took office was to finally restore science and the law to their rightful places in U.S. leadership. Following on this pledge, in April, the EPA announced important guidance for its staff to use in looking at the environmental devastation caused by mountaintop removal mining and ensuring that mining companies comply with the Clean Water Act.

Now, the mining industry is trying to interfere with the EPA’s effort to finalize this guidance and scrutinize proposed mining operations in parts of Appalachia that have already lost too many mountains and streams.

To send a message and support this action, hit this link today.

Millions of Us Way Smarter Than Rove Disagree

Allan Lichtman from Climate Challenge on Vimeo.

History professor, author and international political commentator Dr. Allan Lichtman is interviewed by Karyn Strickler about the urgent need to get off the fossil fuel economy for our climate, our economy, our national security, our health and our children.

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Yet the Public Opposition Continues

In spite of major public opposition and a direct threat to the drinking water supply of Alabama’s largest city, the corporate-controled Alabama Surface Mining Commission issued a permit to Shepherd Bend for a coal mine today on the Mulberry Fork of the Black Warrior River.

The Black Warrior Riverkeeper, one of the primary non-profit citizen watchdog groups opposing the mine permit, issued a press release expressing its disappoint with the decision, which does not appear to be in the public interest.

According to information furnished in the application to the commission, that initial increment to be mined is approximately 34 acres of land wholly owned or leased by Shepherd Bend. Assuming the company chooses to mine that first small increment, Shepherd Bend will then have to obtain leases from other property owners, including the University of Alabama System.

In a letter emailed and mailed today to the UA System’s representatives, Black Warrior Riverkeeper reiterated an earlier request that the UA System’s Board of Trustees carefully consider any decision to lease land or mineral rights to Shepherd Bend.

“As a practical matter, without the consent and full participation of the UA System, it may not be cost effective to mine Shepherd Bend,” said Charles Scribner, executive director of the group.

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Glynn Wilson / Southwings

A close view of the growing coal ash mountain in Perry County in Alabama’s Black Belt

For decades, the power industry has been dumping toxic ash from coal-fired power plants at unregulated, unmonitored disposal sites throughout the United States. Now, studies show that toxins in coal ash are poisoning water supplies and threatening public health across the country.

Predictably, power companies want to continue dumping the toxic sludge with no federal oversight, like TVA did in Alabama’s Black Belt community in Perry County.

Coal ash disposal was a dirty secret of the power industry as recently as 2008, when an unregulated coal ash containment pond in Tennessee burst and flooded a community with more than one billon gallons of toxic sludge.

In the aftermath of that tragedy, the Environmental Protection Agency agreed to propose options for regulating coal ash disposal. But, lobbyists for the power industry have mounted a misinformation campaign in order to preserve the toxic status quo.

The non-profit group Earthjustice is working through the courts and on Capitol Hill to counter the unfair influence of industry lobbyists.

“The closer we look, the bigger the problem becomes,” group president Trip Van Noppen said in a press release on Monday. “Already, at least 137 sites in 34 states have been contaminated by toxic coal ash disposal.”

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