Shutdown suspends federal cleanups at Birmingham, other Superfund sites
The government shutdown has suspended federal cleanups at Superfund sites around the nation and forced the cancellation of public hearings, deepening the mistrust and resentment of surrounding residents who feel people in power long ago abandoned them to live among the toxic residue of the country’s factories and mines. “We are already hurting, and it’s just adding more fuel to the fire,” says 40-year-old Keisha Brown, whose wood-frame home is in a community nestled among coking plants and other factories on Birmingham’s north side. The mostly African-American community has been forced to cope with high levels of arsenic, lead and other contaminants in the soil that the Environmental Protection Agency has been scraping up and carting away, house by house. As President Donald Trump and Congress battle over Trump’s demand for a wall on the southern U.S. border, the nearly 3-week-old partial government shutdown has stopped federal work on Superfund sites except for cases where the administration deems “there is an imminent threat to the safety of human life or to the protection of property.” EPA’s shutdown plans said the agency would evaluate about 800 Superfund sites to see how many could pose an immediate threat. As an example of that kind of threat, it cited an acid leak from a mine that could threaten the public water supply. That’s the hazard at Northern California’s Iron Mountain mine, where EPA workers help prevent an unending flow of lethally acidic runoff off the Superfund site from spilling into rivers downstream. Practically speaking, said Bonnie Bellow, a former EPA official who worked on Superfund public outreach at the agency, the impact of the stoppage of work at sites across the nation “wholly depends” on the length of the shutdown. “Unless there is immediate risk like a storm, a flood, a week or two of slowdowns is not going to very likely affect the cleanup at the site,” Bellow said. In north Birmingham, Brown said it’s been a couple of weeks since she’s spotted any EPA crews at people’s houses. It wasn’t clear if state workers or contractors were continuing work. But long before the shutdown began, Brown harbored doubts the cleanup was working anyway. “My main concern is the health of the people out here,” said Brown, who has asthma. “All of us are sick, and we’ve got to function on medicine every day.” In terms of time, the federal government shutdown is a chronological blip in the long history of the site — which includes ethics charges in a local bribery scandal to block federal cleanup efforts — but adds to the uncertainty in an area where residents feel forgotten and betrayed. At the EPA, the shutdown has furloughed the bulk of the agency’s roughly 14,000 employees. It also means the EPA isn’t getting most of the daily stream of environmental questions and tips from the public. Routine inspections aren’t happening. State, local and private emails to EPA officials often get automated messages back promising a response when the shutdown ends. In Montana, for instance, state officials this month found themselves fielding calls from a tribal member worried about drinking water with a funny look to it, said Kristi Ponozzo, public-policy director at that state’s Department of Environmental Quality. The EPA normally provides tribes with technical assistance on water supplies. With most EPA colleagues idled, Ponozzo said, her agency also had to call off an environmental review meeting for a mining project, potentially delaying the project. But it’s the agency’s work at Superfund sites — lessening the threat from old nuclear-weapons plants, chemical factories, mines and other entities — that gets much of the attention. Absent imminent peril, it would be up to state governments or contractors to continue any cleanup during the shutdown “up to the point that additional EPA direction or funding is needed,” the EPA said in a statement. “Sites where cleanup activities have been stopped or shut down will be secured until cleanup activities are able to commence when the federal government reopens,” the agency said. For federal Superfund sites in Michigan, the shutdown means there are no EPA colleagues to consult, said Scott Dean, a spokesman for that state’s Department of Environmental Quality. At Michigan Superfund sites, day-to-day field operations were continuing since private contractors do most of the on-the-ground work, Dean said. Bellow, the former EPA official, said the cancellation of hearings about Superfund sites posed immediate concerns. In East Chicago, Indiana, for example, the EPA called off a planned public hearing set for last Wednesday to outline how the agency planned to clean up high levels of lead and arsenic in the soil. The EPA has proposed a seven-month, $26.5 million cleanup that includes treating and removing tainted soil from the area, where a lead smelter previously was located. During a public meeting Nov. 29, some residents complained that the EPA’s approach would leave too much pollution in place. But others didn’t get a chance to speak and were hoping to do so at the meeting this week, said Debbie Chizewer, a Northwestern University environmental attorney who represents community groups in the low-income area. The EPA announced the cancellation in an online notice and gave no indication that it would be rescheduled. Leaders of the East Chicago Calumet Community Advisory Group asked for a new hearing date and an extension of a Jan. 14 public comment deadline in a letter to the EPA’s regional Superfund division. Calls by The Associated Press to the agency’s regional office in Chicago this week were not answered. Local critics fear the EPA will use the delay caused by the shutdown as justification for pushing ahead with a cleanup strategy they consider flawed, Chizewer said, even though the agency has designated the affected area as an “environmental justice community” — a low-income community of color that has been disproportionately harmed by pollution. The EPA has a “special obligation” when dealing with such communities, Chizewer said. “This would be an example of shutting them out for no good reason.”
What they’re saying: Alabama reactions to Trump’s new water proposal
When President Donald Trump took office, he began a process to remove and replace what he deemed to be regulatory burdens put in place by the Obama Administration. One of those rules he endeavored to change was Obama Administration’s 2015 Waters of the United States rule and on Tuesday the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of the Army presented a new proposal to do just that. Under the proposal, federally regulated areas include traditional navigable waters, tributaries to those waters, some ditches, certain lakes and ponds, impoundments of jurisdictional waters, and wetlands adjacent to jurisdictional waters. The proposal also details non-waters of the U.S., such as areas that only contain water during or in response to rainfall; many ditches, including most roadside or farm ditches; prior converted cropland; stormwater control features; and waste treatment systems. “Our proposal would replace the Obama EPA’s 2015 definition with one that respects the limits of the Clean Water Act and provides states and landowners the certainty they need to manage their natural resources and grow local economies,” said EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “For the first time, we are clearly defining the difference between federally protected waterways and state protected waterways. Our simpler and clearer definition would help landowners understand whether a project on their property will require a federal permit or not, without spending thousands of dollars on engineering and legal professionals.” The agencies’ proposal is the second step in a two-step process to review and revise the definition of “waters of the United States” consistent with President Trump’s February 2017 Executive Order entitled “Restoring the Rule of Law, Federalism, and Economic Growth by Reviewing the ‘Waters of the United States’ Rule.” The Executive Order states that it is in the national interest to ensure that the nation’s navigable waters are kept free from pollution, while at the same time promoting economic growth, minimizing regulatory uncertainty, and showing due regard for the roles of Congress and the states under the Constitution. Here’s what Alabama politicians and groups are saying about the proposed rule: Attorney General Steve Marshall: I applaud the Environmental Protection Agency for the release of a commonsense approach to the protection of America’s waterways. The new EPA Waters of the United States definition clearly delineates whether a waterway is covered by the federal government, thus simplifying the process for landowners in seeking permits for use of their property. This new definition will be especially welcome to our farmers, timberland owners and others who use land for commercial purposes and who were unfairly targeted under the old Obama administration Waters of the United States rule. Alabama Farmers Federation President Jimmy Parnell: The proposed rule is good news for Alabama farmers and restores common sense to Clean Water Act enforcement. For several years, farmers, businesses and homeowners have lived under the threat of government intrusion and costly penalties due to overaggressive actions of the Obama-era EPA. We appreciate the Trump administration, current EPA administration, Alabama’s congressional delegation and our state attorneys general for standing by farmers and landowners as we’ve fought back against the WOTUS rule. Alabama Agriculture Commissioner John McMillan: This user-friendly amendment will restore landowners rights. The prior rule greatly expanded Washington’s control over local land use. These necessary changes will assist landowners in understanding whether a project needs federal permits, thus saving our producers both time and money. Alabama Rivers Alliance: BREAKING: The Trump Administration just dropped a rule aiming to gut clean water protections which have been in place for generations. Alabama 1st District U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne: Farmers who depend on the land and fresh water to do their jobs deserve policies that protect our environment without placing burdensome and confusing requirements on them. I applaud the Trump Administration for rolling out this new rule. As Alabama Farmers Federation President Jimmy Parnell said: this rule “restores common sense to Clean Water Act enforcement. *This article will be updated as more reactions come in.
EPA regional administrator Trey Glenn resigns to fight ‘unfounded charges’
In August of 2017, the former director of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM), Trey Glenn, was named the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Region 4 Administrator. On Monday, Glenn resigned from that post amid arrest in ongoing ethics investigation. “As you know, unfounded charges haves been levied against me that I must and will fight,” Glenn said in his resignation letter to EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “Stepping down now, I hopes removes any distraction from you and all the great people who work at EPA as you carry out the Agency’s mission.” A grand jury indicted Glenn last week. On Thursday, he was arrested on criminal ethics for multiple violations of Alabama’s Ethics Act. He was booked into a Jefferson County jail in Birmingham before he was released on a $30,000 bond. Glenn’s history with Alabama As director of ADEM from 2005 – 2009, Glenn managed over 600 employees tasked with ensuring a safe, healthy, and productive environment to all Alabama residents. Prior to that he served as division director for the Alabama Office of Water Resources from 2001- 2005 where he was responsible for leading day-to-day operations on coordinating and managing Alabama’s water resources. Before to his post at the EPA, Glenn was working as an independent engineer consultant and business owner, focused on environmental issues. Then-EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt made the announcement of his appointment. “Trey Glenn will bring invaluable experience as regional administrator having spent over two decades working in the field of environmental and regulatory policy,” said Pruitt. “Mr. Glenn will help us carry out President Trump’s vision of creating a more streamlined and efficient EPA that focuses on the Agency’s core mission, while also providing more regulatory certainty to our nation’s businesses.” Alabama Governor Kay Ivey echoed Pruitt’s confidence in Glenn. “We are proud to have a person of Trey Glenn’s caliber leading such an important organization for our area. His experience as Director of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management places him in a unique position to be prepared to work with these southern states,” said Ivey. “We are also especially glad to know someone with in-depth knowledge of Alabama will be overseeing our region. Our state looks forward to working closely with Trey and the EPA team to ensure the needs of the state are met and that we stay environmentally friendly.” Alabama’s Senior U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby said he believed Glenn was well-prepared for the new role. “As an accomplished environmental engineer from Alabama, Trey Glenn is well-prepared for this new role and challenge as the EPA Region 4 Administrator,” added Shelby. “Trey has a proven record of leveraging internal and external operations to advance clearly defined goals. Having served as the director of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, he understands the value and importance of state authority and control. I am confident that Trey will provide respected leadership across the eight state region, while also promoting and protecting a strong and healthy environment.” Read Glenn’s full resignation below:
Regional EPA official turns himself in on state ethics charges
The Trump administration’s top environmental official for the Southeast has been arrested on Alabama state ethics charges related to a scheme to help a coal company avoid paying for a costly toxic waste cleanup. Trey Glenn was booked into a county jail in Birmingham on Thursday before being released on a $30,000 bond. Glenn was appointed last year as chief of the Environmental Protection Agency’s regional office in Atlanta, which oversees operations in eight states. Glenn is charged with multiple ethics violations stemming from his prior work as a coal-industry consultant opposing federal Superfund cleanup efforts. He resigned as director of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management in 2009 following another ethics scandal. It was not clear if Glenn had an attorney. EPA spokesman John Konkus declined to comment. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
EPA’s Southeastern chief indicted on Alabama ethics charges
The man appointed by President Donald Trump’s administration to run the Environmental Protection Agency’s Southeastern regional office has been indicted, along with a former business partner, on state ethics charges in Alabama. News outlets reported Tuesday that Trey Glenn and a former business partner, Scott Phillips, are charged with multiple ethics violations in Birmingham. The ethics law prohibits officials from using their office for personal financial gain and from soliciting or receiving money or other things of value. Glenn was appointed in August 2017 as administrator of the EPA’s regional office in Atlanta, which oversees eight Southeastern states. He had served previously as director of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management and also worked as a business lobbyist who opposed federal Superfund cleanup efforts in Birmingham. An EPA spokesman didn’t immediately return an email on Glenn’s behalf, and court records aren’t available to show whether Glenn or Phillips have attorneys. Al.com reported that Glenn and Phillips each maintained their innocence in statements sent by a worker at a law firm in Montgomery. The newspaper reported that charges against them include multiple violations of Alabama’s Ethics Act, including soliciting a thing of value from a principal, lobbyist or subordinate, and receiving money in addition that received in one’s official capacity. Glenn worked for nearly five years as director of Alabama’s environment department, where his tenure ended abruptly. The Alabama Ethics Commission in 2007 found unanimously that there was probable cause Glenn, may have violated the state ethics law to get his job and to obtain personal trips. He was also investigated for a personal family trip to Disney World that was paid for by a public relations firm that represented a client doing business with his agency. Glenn was eventually cleared of criminal wrongdoing in the case, but resigned in 2009 after the ethics investigations. Phillips is a former chairman of the Alabama Environmental Management Commission. After Glenn left the state environmental agency, he formed a lobbying firm with Phillips. Both were involved in opposing a federal Superfund cleanup in Birmingham. A former state lawmaker, Oliver Robinson, has pleaded guilty and two others — Drummond Co. executive David Roberson and attorney Joel Gilbert — were convicted on charges linked to that project. Glenn and Phillips each testified in the trial of Roberson and Gilbert this summer. Roberson and Gilbert were convicted on charges they bribed Robinson to oppose efforts by the EPA to clean up a Birmingham neighborhood in Robinson’s district. EPA’s Region 4, headquartered in Atlanta, includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Alabama labor, conservation groups oppose EPA rollback of clean car standards
Labor union representatives and conservation group leaders are voicing their concerns about President Donald Trump‘s U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) efforts to rollback clean car standards. “At the pump, we are paying more and more for gasoline, the clean car standards provide the mechanism to move towards the higher miles per gallon vehicle in our country,” Mark Bentley with Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition, told WHNT-19. The standards, finalized in 2012, would have required companies to target a goal of 54.5 miles per gallon across their fleets by 2025, will annual year-over-year improvement. The vehicles would have needed to have a range between 31 and 61 miles per gallon, depending on the type and size. The federal government is proposing freezing the standards for six years at the 2020 target of 39 miles per gallon. According to WHNT-19, the Union of Concerned Scientists says Alabama has saved $600 million because of the clean car standards. “What happens is you won’t get the benefit of the higher miles per gallon. You will be paying more at the pump. You will be visiting the pump more often for fuel,” Bentley added. Meanwhile, the Union of Concerned Scientist say the clean car standards could create jobs in the state. Alabama’s GASP group claims the Yellowhammer State could expect 11,900 new jobs by 2030 as a result of the standards. These leaders are traveling the state to promote clean car standards in hopes of influencing local elected officials to support reinstating them.
EPA rethinking air pollution rule for power plants
The Trump administration is considering rewriting another Obama-era rule controlling hazardous emissions from coal-fired power plants, this one on mercury and other pollutants. Environmental Protection Agency spokeswoman Molly Block said Wednesday that the agency is still preparing its proposal for consideration by the White House’s Office of Management and Budget and that there are few details to release. The EPA is looking at whether the 2012 rule on power plant emissions was necessary, among other issues, Block said. The Obama administration rule set limits for emissions of mercury, arsenic and other toxic air pollutants from coal- and oil-fired power plants. The U.S. Energy Information Administration said last year that almost all the country’s coal-fired power plants were now in compliance with the 2012 rule. Democratic Sen. Tom Carper of Delaware and Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee urged the EPA in a joint letter to keep the 2012 limits in place, saying the rules has cut mercury emissions from power plants by 90 percent. The EPA announced earlier this month that it was moving to relax federal oversight of emissions from coal-fired power plants under a separate Obama-era rule from 2015. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Rauf Bolden: Ecotourism as economic stimulus in Orange Beach
For many years, I have assured people that it is easy to be an expert on Orange Beach because there are really only two answers to any question you could ever be asked about it: “I don’t know” and “It depends.” While glib, this point is strikingly accurate. The public face of Orange Beach’s council system is highly transparent with meetings and work sessions in a public forum. Its inner workings and decision-making processes are shrouded in mystery, wondering about who is really making the decisions, rarely conforming to what any outsider might predict. Perhaps ecotourism’s economic value to this community is the galvanizing exception, making it priceless. “Ecotourism is considered the fastest growing market in the tourism industry,” according to the World Tourism Organization with an annual growth rate of 5% worldwide and representing 6 percent of the world’s gross domestic product, 11.4 percent of all consumer spending, bolstering local economies. Behavioral economists combine economics with insights from psychology to show how heavily economic decisions like ecotourism are influenced by cognitive biases, according to the Economist Magazine’s summary of Richard Thaler’s work. He is the winner of this year’s Nobel Prize in Economics. According to him our economic decisions are influenced by cognitive biases like ecotourism, influencing our decision to choose vacation cities that are eco-friendly. Environmental tourism began in Orange Beach after the Great Depression of 2008, being an inadvertently disguised format for economic stimulus, injecting government funds into the economy, bolstering the recovery, as John Maynard Keynes espoused. The City wrote grants to build the Backcountry Trail System, continually encouraging investment in offshore fisheries with artificial reefs and scuba diving, having ships demolished as underwater attractions, extending the red-snapper fishing season, using cognitive biases, ensuring vacationers understood we are pro-environment, promoting growth in the local economy. A Beach Ambassador Initiative was started. “Leave Only Footprints,” affects all aspects of beach life, erasing tents, chairs and paraphernalia from the beach at night, presenting a fresh canvas each morning for our visitors to enjoy, creating jobs in the economy. These emissaries had a busy season in 2016: Public Interactions: 51,124; Promotional Items Distributed: 20,439; Glass Warnings Issued: 3322; Tent Warnings Issued: 3285; Tents Tagged: 886; Hole Warnings: 1378; Holes Filled: 2170; Trash Warnings: 485; Trash Bags Distributed: 5689; Law Enforcement (Backup) Requests: 46; Fire/EMS/Rescue Requests: 14; Dog Issues/Encounters: 157; Wildlife Related Incidents: 88; Metal Shovel Warnings: 71, according to a representative from Orange Beach Coastal Resources in an email. Investing in ecotourism as a form of economic stimulus has strengthened economic growth in Orange Beach through active participation by our tourism partners: Alabama Department of Environmental Management, The Citizen and Visitors Bureau, The Orange Beach Chamber-of-Commerce, The Backcountry Trail Foundation, The Islands of Perdido Foundation, The Alabama Coastal Foundation and the Fishing Association, providing sustainable-business examples to build on. Perhaps economic stimulus was not the root concept of the initial plan, supporting ecotourism from the beach initiative to turtle nesting, but economic stimulus was certainly the end result. The trails network, beach ambassadorship, turtle nesting, trash pickups on the islands, dredging the pass for offshore-fishing access, increasing the red-snapper season require complex management skills and grant-writing abilities, rewarded when driven from the perspective that infrastructure stimulus creates jobs in the local economy. Businesses profit from ecotourism. Being seen to be caring for and taking care of the environment is behavioral economics, supporting initiatives for Beach Mouse habitat; tag-and-release fishing; rental of bicycles, pontoon boats, and jet skis; or going on Segway tours, is making an environmental statement to our visitors, underlining the council’s commitment to Orange Beach’s eco-friendly image. Finding the funds for these projects is key; writing grants is not a funding source one can depend on year-in-and-year-out. The City of Orange Beach recently increased the Lodging Tax by 2 percent from 11 percent to 13percent, generating $5 Million per year in additional revenue, according to Finance Director Ford Handley. One assumes some of these funds will be allocated to stabilize ecotourism’s infrastructure budget. The Backcountry-Trail Tours yielded: 408 tours and 1869 visitors, divided by the number of years since inception is 208 visitors per year. On tour, visitors learn the inter-dependency between flora and fauna indigenous to the Gulf Coast. This educational approach diversifies the offerings available to visitors in Orange Beach. Turtle nesting is also an important component, watching the beach during the summer months, patrolling at night with teams of volunteers, looking for females coming ashore, burying their eggs in the sand. Volunteers protect the nesting sites with markers, patiently waiting for the hatchlings to surface, escorting them to the sea, ensuring the survival of another generation. Environmental projects like these require funding to continue. The City of Orange Beach has shown no sign of curbing its appetite for allocating resources, presenting a unified face with everyone in step, assuring council remains proud of the city’s eco-friendly image. Some holdouts still exist, citing “disputable findings about climate change”, quoting the new Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, Scott Pruitt. “I would not agree that carbon dioxide is a primary contributor to the global warming that we see,” he told CNBC’s “Squawk Box.” President Trump’s position on environmental protection “has been consistent,” Environmental Defense Fund President Fred Krupp notes in an essay published in the July-August issue of Foreign Affairs, a subscribers-only magazine. “He wants far less of it,” according to their blog. Therefore, the constituents of Orange Beach must follow their own compass, because Federal Grants for environmental projects are diminishing. Orange Beach’s 5,000 residents are a tiny microcosm in the greater scope of the nation, manning their own tiller, implementing their own style of environmental ethics, riding the wave of ecotourism to stimulate the local economy, gladly pulling together with all-hands-on-deck towards a common-ecological goal, because ecotourism’s economic value to this community is priceless. ••• Rauf Bolden is retired IT Director at the City of Orange Beach, working as an IT & Web Consultant on the Beach Road. He can be reached at: publisher@velvetillusion.com.
Martha Roby: Dismantling the regulatory regime
Throughout the eight long years of the Obama Administration, Alabamians suffered under an overly-empowered regulatory state that burdened hardworking men and women and their businesses with countless harmful federal regulations. This type of overreach was seen across the many federal agencies, but perhaps none more blatantly than the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). I am very pleased that over the last year and a half, our unified Republican government has worked to dismantle this Obama-era regulatory regime. I am glad to report that important progress has been made recently, as the Trump Administration’s EPA announced it intends to replace the Obama Administration’s Clean Power Plan with President Donald Trump’s Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule. This is great news that represents an important step towards returning power to the states and further breaking down the regulatory state. When the Obama Administration first rolled out its so-called “Clean Power Plan,” they touted it as the “single most important step America has ever taken in the fight against global climate change.” What they didn’t say was that despite the significant increase it caused in energy bills, the “Clean Power Plan” actually didn’t do much to alter the impact of future climate change. Under this plan, the EPA implemented stringent regulations that limited carbon dioxide emissions from power plants, thus hiking rates and shutting down energy plants – especially in the coal industry. Of course, I think we can all agree that achieving more affordable, reliable, and safe energy is a priority, but adding more regulations and burdensome expenses to Americans are not solutions. That’s why the Trump Administration’s proposed ACE rule is so important. The rule would empower states with the flexibility to determine how best to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while providing modern, reliable, and affordable energy for the American people. This is a far better solution than the Obama Administration’s “one-size-fits-all” approach that treated every state the same. It’s no secret that for eight years, the EPA and other federal agencies went beyond their rightful authority and pushed for unnecessary regulations that negatively impacted our economy, discouraged investment, and stifled job creation here in the United States. These agencies became known for “backdoor legislating” by frequently attempting to circumvent Congress to set policy. I am proud that over the last year and a half, Congress has worked to reverse course by passing several Congressional Review Acts, which is the process of striking rules and regulations left over from previous administrations. These actions, along with the steps taken by the Trump Administration, have already and will continue to unleash our nation’s economy. Among the many challenges we continue to face as a nation, I believe making America energy independent and not reliant on foreign nations must continue to be a priority. While I am pleased that energy exploration methods have improved over the years, we must continue to look for ways to secure America’s energy for future generations. I believe American innovation and our entrepreneurial spirit are the keys to meeting the energy challenges of the 21st Century. President Trump’s proposed ACE plan embraces this outlook and will give Alabama companies certainty to create jobs and prosper as we move forward. ••• Martha Roby represents Alabama’s Second Congressional District. She lives in Montgomery, Alabama, with her husband Riley and their two children.
Checking in: What has Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin been up to?
Ever wonder what your mayor been up to each month? Sure you may have helped elect them, but what happens after that? Alabama Today has you covered. Each month we’ll highlight what the Yellowhammer State’s Big 5 mayors have been doing in an effort to hold them accountable and keep things more transparent. In the last month, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin has called upon the EPA, penned a letter to Arnold, Pa. Mayor Karen Peconi, and announced the completion of another campaign promise among other things. Here’s what he’s been up to for the last month: July 16 Woodfin sits down in front of a camera to answer frequently asked questions about the 2018 Fresh Start Amnesty Program on Facebook. July 18 Woodfin visits the Ironworks Local 92 training facility; chartered in 1906 “Local 92 helped build the skyline that is Birmingham,” reads the company’s website. “This morning I got the opportunity to tour the Ironworkers Local 92 training facility. Local 92 hands built Sloss Furnace, the Alabama Theater, Tutwiler Hotel and more,” Woodfin posted on Facebook. “Their four-year, $189 program will teach you the trade that built this city.” Woodfin announces the “100 Homes, 100 Days” project, a partnership between the Neighborhood Revitalization Fund and Neighborhood Housing Services to renovate 100 homes in the Birmingham area drastically in need of repair. “Our plan is to bundle our work to transform entire blocks instead of renovating one home on a street surrounded by other blight,” Woodfin said in a press release. “This reaffirms our commitment to giving all 99 neighborhoods a fresh start. As additional economic development projects pay off in Birmingham, resources from those projects will be identified and committed to the fund.” July 20 In an effort to increase transparency, Woodfin launches the Boards and Agencies web portal a complete online directory listing all active boards, agencies and commissions affiliated with the city; the first of its kind for the city of Birmingham. “Making appointments to boards and agencies is one of the most important and influential powers the mayor and city council possess. Ensuring we are appointing people to boards with a clear understanding of their fiduciary role is absolutely vital,” Woodfin said in a press release. “The Mayor’s Office places a clear expectation on understanding our mission of ‘Putting People First’ and our core values of customer service, efficiency, effectiveness, accountability, and transparency. We need to have the same expectations for our board members.” July 21 Woodfin attends the 23rd annual Back to school R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Rally hosted by Pastor Green and More Than Conquerors Faith Church. July 24 The Mayor’s office announced the completion of another campaign promise to promote transparency and accountability by introducing the Open Checkbook portal on the city’s website. The Open Checkbook documents Birmingham’s budgeting and expenditures dating back to fiscal year 2009. The portal consists of nearly a million pieces of data per fiscal year. “The Open Checkbook portal is helping us uphold our campaign promise of a transparent government,” Woodfin said. “I encourage everyone to visit the portal and see exactly how we’re directing our resources to make Birmingham stronger.” July 26 Woodfin penned a letter to Arnold, Pa. Mayor Karen Peconi expressing his concerns over what he called her “deliberate misrepresentation” of the 1963 civil rights demonstrations in Birmingham. Peconi came under fire after her controversial Facebook post during the public protests in Pittsburgh following the death of Antwon Rose — a 17 year-old African-American man shot and killed by a police officer in Pittsburgh in June. The officer has since been charged with criminal homicide and awaits trial. After learning of Peconi’s comments, Woodfin wrote an open letter her in an effort to encourage “constructive reflection,” on her part. “I am writing as the mayor of Birmingham, Alabama, because you posted and commented on a photograph taken during the civil rights demonstrations that took place in our city in 1963, in a way that completely misrepresented the purpose and meaning of those historic events,” Woodfin wrote. “Today, we in Birmingham take tremendous pride in our city’s role in advancing the causes of justice and equality for all Americans. And, even as we recognize the distance our nation, more than a half-century later, still has to travel along that road, we take pride in Birmingham’s progress and our ongoing emergence as a city of growth and opportunity for all. We honor our past and proudly and actively commemorate the history that was made in our streets — but our eyes and our actions are fixed firmly on the future.” July 27 Joined by former boxer and four-time heavyweight champion, Evander Holyfield, Woodfin visited with senior citizens at the Shepherd Center in Birmingham. “I’m very familiar with the importance to staying active at any age. When I was younger, my grandmother stayed with my family the last nine years of her life. It was a rewarding time for me,’’ Woodfin said in a press release. “I encourage every resident to seek out and experience the wisdom and talent our seniors have to offer.’’ On this day, Woodfin also presented Birmingham’s new Police Chief Patrick Smith with his badge during his official swearing-in ceremony. “I am proud to present our Chief of Police Patrick Smith with his badge during the official swearing-in. Thank you for your leadership chief,” Woodfin posted on Facebook. August 4 Woodfin spoke on a panel, and provided the closing keynote’s speech for the Netroots Nation national event. Drawing over 3,000 participants from across the nation, the Netroots Nation is the largest annual conference for progressives. Online and grassroots activists attend panels, training sessions, keynotes speeches, social events and more. “Today I’m speaking on a panel at Netroots Nation about Safeguarding Internet Freedom. This is a conversation about access. ISPs should not be the gatekeepers of what our citizens can and cannot access on the internet. The internet is the public library of the 21st century. We can not allow that free and open internet to be compromised,” Woodfin posted on his Facebook page. August 6 Woodfin hops around Birmingham, welcoming children to their first day of school at Hemphill Elementary, attending and speaking at Google’s free workshops at the Birmingham
Doug Jones joins Randall Woodfin’s fight to add Birmingham site to EPA priority list
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last week insisting that they add the North Birmingham 35th Avenue Superfund Site to their National Priorities list. Now, U.S. Senator Doug Jones has joined Woodfin in the fight, sending his own letter to the EPA’s new acting chief Andrew Wheeler on Monday. “While the EPA’s decision not to place the North Birmingham Alabama 35th Avenue Superfund site on the NPL was disappointing to many in the community, it was perhaps understandable given the strong vocal opposition with the state,” Jones wrote in his letter. “However, it is now abundantly clear, as evidenced by the July 19, 2018 convictions of a former state legislator, a business executive and attorney on a number of federal charges including conspiracy, wire fraud and bribery, that the EPA’s initial public review process was undermined by an illegal misinformation scheme to prevent the North Birmingham site from being added to the NPL.” At a community forum last week Woodfin spoke out against the actions of the several Birmingham professionals tied to the site who were convicted of bribery, wire fraud and money laundering; and announced he was sending a letter to the EPA. “In light of the recent revelations concerning public corruption, we believe the environmental injustices in North Birmingham must be addressed and prioritized by the Environmental Protection Agency,” the Birmingham City website reads. “A site may be included on the EPA National Priorities List if it has scored greater than a 28.5 on the Hazard Ranking System. The North Birmingham 35th Avenue Superfund Site scored a 50, almost twice the minimum requirements.” According to The Gadsden Times, the EPA released a statment in response to Woodfin last week saying; “EPA received numerous comments on the proposed listing. At this time the Agency has not made a decision to finalize the site on the NPL. The site will remain on the proposed list until a decision has been made to go final or until the site has been cleaned up by the removal program.” Read Jones full letter here: U.S. Sen. Doug Jones’ letter to EPA by Erin Edgemon on Scribd
Randall Woodfin urges Birmingham community to sign EPA petition
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin is urging members of the Birmingham community to sign a petition addressed to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) insisting that they add the North Birmingham 35th Avenue Superfund Site to their National Priorities list. “In light of the recent revelations concerning public corruption, we believe the environmental injustices in North Birmingham must be addressed and prioritized by the Environmental Protection Agency,” the Birmingham City website reads. “A site may be included on the EPA National Priorities List if it has scored greater than a 28.5 on the Hazard Ranking System. The North Birmingham 35th Avenue Superfund Site scored a 50, almost twice the minimum requirements.” On Tuesday, at a community forum Woodfin spoke out against the actions of the several Birmingham professionals tied to the site who were convicted of bribery, wire fraud and money laundering; and announced he was sending a letter to the EPA, AL.com reported. “He said their actions were “morally wrong,” and he is “going to go to bat” for the people of north Birmingham.” In a letter addressed to the EPA’s new acting chief Andrew Wheeler, Woodfin addresses the corruption concerning the site, and recommends remedies to improve the site and the community surrounding it saying: As a result of these illegal actions, thousands remain at risk including the 1,070 people living in 394 public housing units and 751 children attending Hudson K-8 school. The necessary remedies include, but are not limited to, screening and health care to address pollution related health issues, relocation and reconstruction of Hudson K-8 school, non-resident redevelopment of the North Birmingham 35th Avenue Superfund Site and reclamation of Village Creek. In light of the recent revelations concerning the public corruption, we believe this situation demands a much more robust response. The United States Attorney has already done their part by exposing this criminal hoax and bringing those responsible to justice. Still, these injustices continue until the North Birmingham 35th Avenue Superfund Site is placed on the National Priorities List and all necessary resources are provided to the people of this community. Members of the Birmingham community who are interested may sign the petition here. Read Woodfin’s full letter to the EPA below: Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin s Letter to EPA
