Environment

Economy / Environment / National

Clean, renewable biodiesel industry adding jobs, reducing pollution across U.S.

If only Rudolf Diesel could see highways across America today. The inventor of the Diesel engine, which ran perfectly on peanut oil not long after its debut around the turn of the 20th century, would certainly be amazed to see that biodiesel has grown into an industry that supports more than 64,000 jobs, $2.5 billion … Continued

Mark Bentley

April 1, 2019

Opinion

ADEM: where corporations regulate themselves … maybe

Imagine, if you will, that your home is burglarized and you happen to catch the break-in on your surveillance video. You take it to the cops. They quickly ID the perpetrators of the crime. But instead of arresting the burglars, the cops tell you that they’re going to allow the burglars to go back to … Continued

Josh Moon

March 29, 2019

Jones introduces bipartisan bill to expand debt reorganization tools for farmers

Thursday, U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, D-Alabama, and colleagues introduced the bipartisan Family Farmer Relief Act of 2019 to help family farms reorganize after falling on hard times as bankruptcy rates among American farmers near record highs. “We need to do everything we can to help Alabama farmers succeed, especially at a time when the business … Continued

Brandon Moseley

March 28, 2019

Jones among three Democrats to vote against Green New Deal

Sen. Doug Jones, D-Alabama, was among three Democrats to vote against the Green New Deal, an ambitious plan to curb climate change by fundamentally transforming American infrastructure and the country’s economy. The legislation — a non-binding resolution — was proposed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell put the plan to … Continued

Chip Brownlee

March 27, 2019

Shelby votes to reject Green New Deal

The U.S. Senate voted not to implement the Green New Deal on Tuesday. Both of Alabama’s Senators, Sens. Richard Shelby and Doug Jones voted against the controversial environmental legislation that would have drastically transformed the American economy in pursuit of a decrease in atmospheric carbon. The measure was defeated 57 to 0. Jones joined Joe … Continued

Brandon Moseley

March 27, 2019

Shelby announces $3.6 million in USDA grants to Alabama universities for agriculture research

U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Alabama, announced Friday that the U.S. Department of Agriculture awarding a total of $3,613,934 in National Institute of Food and Agriculture grants to Tuskegee University and Alabama A&M University. The funding will promote food and agricultural sciences programs and research at the land-grant universities. “These NIFA grants are great news for … Continued

Brandon Moseley

March 25, 2019

Conservation Alabama celebrates 20 years

It has been 20 years since Conservation Alabama, one of the most influential environmental groups in Alabama, was founded. The group was founded as the Alabama League of Environmental Action Voters to give the environment a voice at the Alabama Statehouse. It was later renamed Conservation Alabama. Conservation Alabama has worked with environmental organizations, communities, … Continued

Chip Brownlee

March 22, 2019

Interior Dept. provides $291 million to clean up, repurpose coal mines

U.S. Acting Secretary of the of the Interior David Bernhardt announced on March 19 that this year’s grants from the Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation will award over $291 million for mine reclaiming and repurposing efforts. The AML grants are funded by a fee based on coal produced in the U.S. and assist in eliminating points … Continued

Mikayla Burns

March 21, 2019

Trump approves Ivey’s request for expedited major disaster declaration

In response to Gov. Kay Ivey’s request on March 4, President Donald Trump approved a Major Disaster Declaration for Lee County on Tuesday triggering the release of federal funds to help people and communities recover from severe storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes that occurred March 3, 2019. The Federal Emergency Management Agency Public Assistance Program … Continued

Brandon Moseley

March 6, 2019

Black Warrior Riverkeeper sues EPA to protect vulnerable streams

Black Warrior Riverkeeper filed a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency on Feb. 27, 2019, in an effort to ensure the protection Black Warrior River’s watersheds by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management. ADEM dropped Lost Creek and Big Yellow Creek from the state’s Section 303(d) List, which features and describes bodies of water in … Continued

Mikayla Burns

February 28, 2019