 | SUSTAINING THE FLOW A newsletter for organizational partners of the Alabama Rivers Alliance Welcome to the March 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, training sessions, job postings 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. EPA PFAS DRINKING WATER REGULATION PUBLIC HEARING & COMMENT OPPORTUNITY The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed National Primary Drinking Water Regulation for six PFAS including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA, commonly known as GenX Chemicals), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), and perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS). EPA is hosting a public hearing to present information and receive public comment on the proposed PFAS drinking water standards under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). The public hearing and opportunity for public comment will be on May 4, 2023. Registration is required by May 2, 2023, sign up here. ADEM STATEWIDE NPDES NOTICE The Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) has announced several NPDES facilities applying or renewing applications for discharge into Alabama's waters and have opened public comment periods. There are several applicants in the industrial, mineral extraction, and public sectors. See what facilities have open comment periods & how to submit public comments to ADEM here. | | | | | |  | HIGHLIGHTS FROM WATER RALLY AROUND THE ARA OFFICE -
Jack helped us kick off Water Rally weekend with an engaging Clean Water Act Manual Workshop lead by River Network and presented alongside the Black Warrior Riverkeeper, Coosa Riverkeeper, Cahaba Riverkeeper, and Mobile Baykeeper. (Check out this resource for clean water advocates!) -
Kelly added 75,000 steps to her feet walking all across Camp Beckwith to help the ARA team set the vibe for one of the best Water Rallys yet! She also caught her very first fish at Rally, which she will tell everyone about in grand detail for the rest of her life. -
Martha ensured Water Rally flowed smoothly all weekend long with weeks of preparation and arranged conference themes, speakers, and field trips. -
Cindy warmly welcomed everyone to Weeks Bay for Water Rally and shared her fundraising expertise in a breakout session joined by Coosa Riverkeeper and Mobile Baykeeper. -
Victoria closed out Water Rally by speaking on the Plenary Panel: Connecting with Students for Research and Advocacy and telling everyone a bit about her start in environmental advocacy. | | | | | |  | 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! - Shaheed and DJ Supreme released a new hip hop song & video "World of Water" featuring the McWane Science Center and Southern Environmental Center. See the music video here.
- Get plugged into Alabama's legislative session this spring & talk to your legislator in Montgomery about issues that matter to you! Register for upcoming lobby days: Alabamians for Fair Justice (4/4), Alabama Arise Legislative Day (4/11), and ARA's Rivers of Alabama Day (4/11).
- Go AmeriCorps! Several organizations recently highlighted and celebrated their AmeriCorps VISTA members during AmeriCorps Week and the Day of the A on March 16th. See social media posts from Cahaba Riverkeeper, Coosa Riverkeeper, UAB VISTA Hub/Birmingham City Council, the Governor's Office of Volunteer Services, and a blog post from Black Warrior Riverkeeper.
- During Women's History Month, the Southern Environmental Law Center honored 5 women at the forefront of defending the environment, including the Birmingham office's own Sarah Stokes! Read more here.
- Wild Alabama is searching for volunteers to help with spring planting and stewardship of the Bankhead and Talladega National Forests! Check out their website for more details & opportunities to join them outdoors this spring.
- Coosa Riverkeeper launched the newest feature of their Volunteer programs, the self-led volunteer clean up map! Now anyone can document their clean up, find locations for trash, and see area that need cleaning up in the Coosa River watershed. See how it works.
- Keep your camera at the ready in Blount County this spring in anticipation for the Friends of the Locust Fork River's 2023 Art, Photo & Video Contest! Submission details here, starting April 1st.
This newsletter is created by a small team with limited resources, please use reply to this email or click below to email Victoria if you want submit newsletter items from your organization! | | | | | | | | FUNDING | LEARNING | EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES | | FUNDING OPPORTUNTIES - Community Foundation of Northeast Alabama is offering to advance leadership development & training through the Summit Grant, pre-application due 5/15
- Network for Good offers a $5,000 donation, fundraising coach, and one year of fundraising software, apply here through a short form
- The Tennessee River Basin Network has opened their 2023 Shade Your Stream Grant Cycle, awards typically between $5-10k. Apply by 4/11/23
| | | | | | Alabama Rivers Alliance
2014 6th Avenue North, Suite 200 | Birmingham, Alabama 35203
205.322.6395 | info@alabamarivers.org | | | | | | | | | | | |
