 | SUSTAINING THE FLOW A newsletter for organizational partners of the Alabama Rivers Alliance Welcome to the June monthly newsletter from Alabama Rivers Alliance to our partner groups and organizations! This newsletter's purpose is to help us all sustain the flow & keep moving forward together in our respective work in Alabama. Open us up this month to read about upcoming events around the state, job openings, grant opportunities, training sessions, and more news from folks working to #DefendRivers across the state. Click here to update your organization contact info or to sign others up! | | | |  | REGULATORY NEWS & COMMENT OPPORTUNITIES Relevant environmental regulatory updates & opportunities to agencies to let them know how their decision can impact your work. ADEM EMC ASKING FOR FEEDBACK ON DIRECTOR LEFLEUR'S JOB PERFORMANCE The Alabama Environmental Management Commission (AEMC) asks annually for feedback on the Alabama Department of Environmental Management Director's (ADEM) job performance. Director LeFleur is responsible for all of the management and operations of ADEM. Take a few minutes to let the AEMC know what you have observed over the past year regarding Director LeFleur's leadership of this important agency that is tasked with implementing and enforcing environmental laws in Alabama. Comments should cover the period from October 15, 2022 to July 31, 2023 and be submitted to the EMC by mail or email before 5 pm on July 31, 2023. More details here. FISCAL YEAR 2022 & 2020 ADEM STATE REVOLVING FUND PLAN UPDATES ADEM has recently released their Intended Use Plan (IUP) for Drinking Water projects addressing Emerging Contaminants under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (Fiscal Year 2022 DWSRF BIL EC IUP). This is the first time funding through the State Revolving Fund will focus on tackling emerging contaminants like PFAS in drinking water. Review the plan here and make comments if desired by July 6, 2023. ADEM also released a modified Intended Use Plan (IUP) for the Fiscal Year 2020 Clean Water State Revolving Fund. Review it here and make comments if desired by July 6, 2023. If you commented with ARA for FY2022, we are still awaiting the FY2023 IUP release to begin our commenting process again. BLM EXTENDS COMMENT PERIOD FOR CONSERVATION LAND USE The federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has extended their open comment period to advance their mission to manage the public lands for multiple use and sustained yield by prioritizing the health and resilience of ecosystems across those lands. This proposed rule would put "conservation" on equal footing with other land uses that BLM land is managed for, which includes recreation, range, timber, minerals, watershed, wildlife and fish, natural scenic, scientific, and historical values. Comments are due to the Federal Register by July 5, 2023, details here. GOOD TO KNOW: ADEM DIRECTOR LEFLEUR'S MOST RECENT REPORT TO EMC Read a copy of ADEM Director LeFleur's most recent report to the Alabama Environmental Management Commission from June 9, 2023. The AEMC is charged with oversight of the Director, so he provides a report to them at each of their bi-monthly meetings. These reports give an indication of the Director's priorities and perspectives on specific areas of the agency's work that may be of interest to your organization or your community. It can be hard to catch what is said during the meeting or over livestream, so we will begin sharing these as ARA receives them after each meeting. Check out his June 9th, 2023 presentation here. | | | | | |  | AROUND THE ARA OFFICE - Cindy's been working with our development team to align our fundraising plan with our new strategic plan in anticipation of our big summer rollout. By August, we will unveil our branding refresh and the public facing version of our strategic plan. This has been a multi-month whole organization project and we are excited to share it with all of our partners and members soon!
- After wrapping up the legislative session in early June, Jack decompressed by paddling, fishing, and camping on the Tallapoosa where he got to see bald eagles, osprey, water snakes, Alabama bass, and a remarkable stand of shoal lilies. He has also been spending time in the vicinity of Chandler Mountain, as ARA gears up for the licensing of Alabama Power's proposed pumped storage hydropower project.
- We were thrilled to welcome five emerging documentary filmmakers to Alabama this month for Southern Exposure! It’s always awe-inspiring to see the incredible work they create in six short weeks and this year is no exception. We can’t wait to share the new films with you soon. Let Kelly know if you want to book a screening of the new films in your community this fall and beyond!
- Martha represented ARA at the Southeast Climate and Energy Network conference where she finally met people she zoomed with for years and learned about different campaigns with emphasis on environmental justice and the climate movement. She also is excited to share skills she learned at the recent workshop on "Getting to the Root to Change the Debate." Ask her about it!
- Victoria & Cindy have began the Southern States State Revolving Fund Policy Analyst Series with PolicyLink! We are working with national partners to review, analyze, and develop recommendations for Alabama and other southern states to help fund drinking water and wastewater projects equitably.
| | | | | |  | 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! - Coosa Riverkeeper and the Southern Environmental Law Center announced a consent order resolving of their lawsuit against Newcastle Homes! Melrose Landing, a subdivision under construction along the 280 corridor in Shelby County, was sued for 158 separate violations of the Clean Water Act. Read more details from Coosa Riverkeeper's press release here and AL.com here.
- Wild Wednesdays Nature Hikes are here for kids and families to join Wild Alabama in Bankhead National Forest! Each Wednesday from June 28 to August 2 you can join Wild Alabama's staff for fun and safe ways to explore nature. Sign up now & see the various trails you can hit here.
- Black Warrior Riverkeeper and 13 other environmental and community advocates have petitioned the EPA for stronger regulations to control methane pollution from municipal landfills. This form of methane pollution is the third largest human-driven source behind livestock and natural gas. Read more from the press release here, with quotes from Nelson, the Riverkeeper.
- National Geographic released an episode of "Extraordinary Birder" with Christian Cooper that features the wonderful diversity of birds in Alabama! Alabama Audubon might even make an appearance, see if you can stream it here!
- Alabama Water Watch hosted their 2023 Annual Meeting at Lake Guntersville where they recognized the data collected over the past year and honored some of the folks dedicated to volunteering with AWW & monitoring water quality. Mike Mullen, our Choctawhatchee Riverkeeper, holds the record for most data entries with over 8,000 collections! See photos from Facebook here.
- Friends of the Locust Fork River is selling Alabama Native Wildflowers at their Restoration Nursey each Monday in July! Visit them on Monday mornings to volunteer or get wildflowers, more details here.
- The EPA has launched EJScreen 2.2 version of their Environmental Justice screening and mapping tool. This version seeks to incorporate more potential human health impacts associated with exposures to Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) chemicals into the air. Read more about this update & upcoming training opportunities here.
- New federal proposal would bring back rules to protect threatened species and reverse rollbacks that weakened the Endangered Species Act. Read more details here.
This newsletter is created by a small team with limited resources, please use reply to this email or click below to submit newsletter items from your organization! | | | | | | | | FUNDING | LEARNING | EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES | | TRAINING & LEARNING - "Building Water Equity and Climate Resilient Communities for ALL" 6-part webinar series hosted by River Network from July 19 - January 17, 2024, register for some or all sessions here
- Leave No Trace Awareness Workshop series with Wild Alabama, using science & education to learn how to leave no trace!
- EPA is hosting virtual EJScreen Trainings about version 2.2 release on July 5 & Jul 26 at 11 am CST, learn more and register here
| | | | | | Alabama Rivers Alliance
2014 6th Avenue North, Suite 200 | Birmingham, Alabama 35203
205.322.6395 | info@alabamarivers.org | | | | | | | | | | | |
