 | SUSTAINING THE FLOW Welcome to the February 2025 edition of ARA's partner newsletter! This newsletter features highlights from our partners and organizations around our network to help keep us collaborating, informed and engaged with each other's work protecting rivers, steams and drinking water sources across Alabama. See below for comment opportunities, events, updates from ARA's staff, partner highlights, funding, training, and hiring opportunities. See past editions of the newsletter here. |
| | | Partners and friends: March 7 marks the 60th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, the day an estimated 600 marchers began the civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery to fight for their right to vote, but were brutally attacked and beaten by police and others as they crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma. The 54 mile march was later completed by thousands of people and it led to the passing of the Voting Rights Act. In celebration of this historic event, people come from all over to Selma, Alabama each year to reenact the march over the bridge as part of the annual Selma Bridge Crossing Jubilee!
In the face of federal attacks on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the complete obliteration of environmental justice departments and programs across the federal government, it is important that we remember those who risked their lives to further the cause of justice and civil rights. This year's events will take place over the week of March 3-9 and there will be plenty of activities to take part in over the week and weekend. Click here for the schedule and more information. And take a moment to watch the Southern Exposure Film, 54 Miles to Home, to hear the stories of the three families who risked their lives by opening up their land to provide campsites for the thousands of marchers 60 years ago next week. |
|  | FEDERAL AND REGULATORY NEWS / COMMENT OPPORTUNITIES FEDERAL CHAOS AND YOUR STORIES Alabama Rivers Alliance and partners across the movement are collecting information and stories about the ongoing illegal impoundment of federal funding - also referred to as a "pause" or "freeze"- and its impact on nonprofits, community groups and academic institutions in Alabama. We plan to share some of this information, without your name or organization attached, with the Alabama Association of Non Profits, and may share it with some of our elected representatives at the local, state, and federal level. Click here if you, your organization, or anyone you know has been impacted in any way. Click here to see Environmental Protection Network's Federal Opportunities and Guidance page, which includes resources for federal employees, funding opportunities, potential actions and more. ADEM DIRECTOR'S REPORT TO THE ALABAMA EMC Read a copy of ADEM Director LeFleur's most recent report to the Alabama Environmental Management Commission from February 14. These reports at the EMC meetings every other month give insight into ADEM's current priorities. Read the report here. |
| LEGISLATIVE UPDATES ARA has been in the statehouse since the start of the session, monitoring bills and working with legislators to advance our priorities. We have some priority legislation to protect drinking water utilities and their customers coming in March, but in the meantime here are two other bills we are monitoring: - SB 64, a bill that would require TVA contractors to clean up after clearing invasive aquatic weeds, passed a house committee last week
- HB 145 / SB 46, legislation that would allow the City of Mobile to enforce ADEM's scrap tire laws, is set to go before a house committee this week
Alabama Rivers Alliance supports both of these bills, along with any legislation keeping litter and waste out of our waterways! As always, keep up with the all the bills out of Montgomery affecting our rivers and streams on our website. |
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|  | ARA'S YEAR AS BUSY AS EVER! In addition to her keynote delivery at the Cahaba River Society annual meeting, moderating The League of Women Voters Gulf Coast Convening panel on climate, resilience and affordability in Mobile, speaking at the Lake Watch of Lake Martin annual meeting, and leading a discussion at the Alabama Association of Nonprofits in Montgomery, Cindy was also featured on Evolve America's podcast, "The South Got Something To Say" with Khadidah Stone. She talked the need for an Alabama Water Plan, celebrated some successes from the movement and more. Check it out on YouTube today! Charles attended the student-led New Directions in Environmental Law conference at Yale School of Law, where leading experts from across the country discussed the changing federal landscape, state responses, and novel approaches to protect aquatic resources in our changing climate. Led by Jack, ARA recently filed comments on the draft environmental impact statement for the Harris Dam relicensing on the Tallapoosa River advocating for improved flows, water quality enhancements, adaptive management, and improved recreation access. Our partners at SELC joined the comments, which you can view here. Martha also worked with landowners and community leaders to help make their voices heard by FERC. We expect a Final EIS later this year, which will form the basis for the final FERC license. V has been busy hitting the books and keeping a close eye on the federal mess surrounding water infrastructure funding. Their focus has been on maintaining momentum for water projects happening -- and those needed -- across Alabama, while keeping our coalition of partners informed as the federal landscape shifts. Reach out to V if you need help with a federal funding question. ICYMI! Check out the ARA Impact Report from 2024! We spent a few days looking over our goals we set for the year before, while setting new ones for 2025 and in the process we put together a nice report outlining our impacts and successes from 2024. |
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| | | PARTNER HIGHLIGHTS FROM ACROSS ALABAMA Amplifying the voices of those working for change in Alabama by celebrating news, wins of all sizes, milestones and ways others could use support! Submit your news so we can celebrate you! March 4, 2025 - City of Tuscaloosa Municipal Election August 5, 2025 - City of Dothan Municipal Election August 26, 2025 - All Alabama municipalities not previously listed (includes City of Birmingham and Mobile) - Don't call it a ... The Birmingham Canoe Club is making a comeback! They have planned social gatherings every other month in 2025, starting with March 6 at Cahaba Brewery, to get paddlers together to discuss field trips, classes, and other ways to get people out on our rivers!
- The Alabama Cup Races are right around the corner! The volunteer crew behind this staple event in Alabama is looking for all sorts of help this season such as: awards captain, bib + waiver captain, race assistants, paddle assistants and more! Check out their Facebook page for more info.
- The Choctawhatchee Riverkeeper Mike Mullen, will be a speaker at the Choctawhatchee River Basin Conference on March 6. Register here by March 3.
- The 2024 Southern Exposure Films landed in Mentone this past weekend at the Moon Lake Library. We were stoked to host people from around the Little River watershed! Keep up with where the films can be seen across Alabama on our Screenings page. Coming up: Auburn, Montevallo, Huntsville, Troy and Oneonta!
- DEADLINE EXTENDED - ADECA is working with the public and partners to develop Alabama's next Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP). SCORPs allow states to identify their own priorities in how to spend federal funds. This collaborative process will evaluate Alabama's current outdoor recreation offerings and identify priority actions to support the State in effectively managing its valuable assets for the next half-decade through developing clear management directions and funding opportunities at statewide, regional, and local levels. Click here to take the survey.
Please reply to this email or click below to submit newsletter items from your organization. We'd love to share your news with our 100+ partners across the region! |
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| FUNDING | LEARNING | EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES |
| FUNDING OPPORTUNTIES - Legacy Environmental Education grants for 2025 is open until March 14 for up to $2,500
- ONGOING OPPORTUNITY! Alabama Beer Company + ARA's DRIFT Fund for rapid financial assistance, applications open now! If you have any questions about applying for this fund, please reach out!
- ASRT's Alabama Waterway Enhancement Program has grants up to $5,000 for water recreation & education apply by 3/3.
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| Alabama Rivers Alliance
4439 5th Avenue South Suite 1000 | Birmingham, Alabama 35222
205.322.6395 | info@alabamarivers.org |
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