Environment
In disposing coal ash, Alabama is not like other states
Toxic coal ash has polluted Alabama’s waters for years. Is the state doing enough to stop it?
In Alabama’s Paint Rock Valley, researchers count every tree thicker than a pencil
In an effort to better understand the biodiversity of north Alabama, scientists are conducting a “tree census,” with the goal of studying roughly 100,000 trees for 50 years.
Protecting Margaritaville: Jimmy Buffett, Bama and the Fight to Save the Manatee
The singer, who died Sept. 1, grew up in Mobile and had a huge following in Alabama, even if many of his devotees in the state were less than thrilled by his liberal politics.
Alabama’s John Christy may be the country’s best known and most criticized climate change skeptic
Alabama’s State Climatologist John Christy is no stranger to controversy and doesn’t shy away from the spotlight. His critics say his work has been plagued by errors and many of his conclusions dismissed.
The connection is growing between climate change and big storms
The connection between climate change, hurricanes and tornadoes is not so clear. But data is beginning to show some relationship. That's the topic of the latest story in our series "Alabama's Hot Topic: What Climate Change Could Bring."
From drought to heavy rain, climate change means more of both
Climate change is spurring more big rain events, when several inches fall in a short amount of time. Meanwhile, climate change also makes droughts more frequent, longer, and severe. There's more the latest installment of our series “Alabama’s Hot Topic: What Climate Change Could Bring.”
Heat is the top weather-related killer. In Alabama, it may just be getting started
Heat kills more people than any other type of weather. Human-caused climate change stands to make that worse. Alabama is one of the few places where temperatures have not increased. But that appears to be changing. It's the latest in our series, “Alabama’s Hot Topic: What Climate Change Could Bring.”
Few bid after U.S. opens first-ever offshore wind leases in the Gulf of Mexico
The entire Gulf of Mexico wind lease sale has the potential to produce 3.7 gigawatts of renewable energy, enough to power 1.3 million homes.
Meet the Alabama scientists connecting soaring global temperatures to carbon dioxide
Two Alabama researchers study ice cores and fossil records from Antarctica, helping connect an alarming increase in the earth’s temperature to rising levels of carbon dioxide.
Alabama has escaped the worst of climate change. Is our luck about to run out?
This summer, headlines have screamed climate change. Globally, July was the hottest month on record. Smoke from forest fires choked many parts of the U.S., and the Gulf of Mexico hit a record high for average weekly sea surface temperatures. Here in Alabama, we’ve been spared many of the effects of climate change, but that appears to be changing. We take a look in a new series on climate change called “ Alabama's Hot Topic.”
New mapping tool gives county-by-county breakdown of air pollution
Earlier this month, a researcher debuted a new tool that maps pollution in Mississippi and Louisiana. Some environmental groups are already using it.
As the peak of hurricane season nears, Southwest Louisiana is still recovering from 2020 storms
Three years after Hurricanes Laura and Delta, Lake Charles residents are anxious about the chances of a new storm.
EPA wants to reject Alabama’s coal ash program; says it is not protective enough
The EPA’s proposed denial claims Alabama’s proposed standards are too lax and don’t meet federal guidelines under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.
Mobile homes turn deadly when tornadoes hit. This year has been especially bad
Tornadoes in the United States are disproportionately killing more people in mobile or manufactured homes, especially in the South, often victimizing some of the most socially and economically vulnerable residents.
Residents near Louisiana Dow plant are skeptical after explosion: ‘You can’t trust them’
Dow Chemical says the air quality at a plant in Louisiana is safe following a July 14 explosion, but nearby residents remain skeptical based on past incidents.
Birmingham public transit inches forward with federal help and no state funding
Alabama, the only state that doesn't fund public transit, passed on another opportunity this legislative session. Thanks to car dependence, the state has the nation's highest per-capita gasoline use.
Birmingham area receives poor grades on air quality report
The American Lung Association’s 2023 State of the Air report used research from the Environmental Protection Agency to measure air quality by year-round particle pollution, short-term particle pollution and ozone quality.
North Birmingham’s Bluestone Coke plant issued warning for Clean Water Act violations
The industrial plant has 60 days to clean up contaminated water in Five Mile Creek before it faces a federal lawsuit, local environmental groups warn.
The Birmingham Zoo wants to build a new cat exhibit. First they must deal with unmarked graves
The zoo has filed for a permit with the Alabama Historical Commission to professionally exhume the graves and reinter them nearby.
US Forest Service and historically Black colleges unite to boost diversity in wildland firefighting
Wildfire season around the U.S. continues to grow while minorities remain underrepresented in forestry and firefighting.
As the US invests more in climate-smart ag, these Louisiana farmers could serve as a model
Climate-smart agriculture is getting a “once-in-a-generation” investment of $20 billion. Louisiana farmers show what a successful rollout could look like.
An Alabama program helps residents stormproof their homes. Louisiana wants to copy it
Strengthen Alabama Homes gives residents up to $10,000 to retrofit homes to the FORTIFIED standard. Other states see it as a model for their own insurance woes.
Cahaba lily season draws crowds, inspires conservation efforts
Alabama is thought to be home to one of the world's largest populations of the unique flower, which is only in bloom for a few more weeks.
Feds say Alabama ignored sewer issues, harmed Black residents
The departments of Justice and Health and Human Services announced the results of the environmental justice probe and a settlement agreement with state health officials to address longstanding wastewater sanitation problems in Lowndes County, a high-poverty county between Selma and Montgomery.
Tornado’s swift arrival in Rolling Fork highlights Gulf South’s emergency management needs
Residents in some Mississippi towns didn’t get much warning before deadly tornadoes struck. It exposed the challenges of emergency response in rural areas.
Pascagoula residents sue EPA to halt production of Chevron’s plastic fuel
Cherokee Concerned Citizens and Earthjustice are seeking to halt Chevron from producing new chemicals from plastic waste at a nearby refinery.
Why preventing flooding in Mississippi’s Yazoo Backwater is easier said than done
The Vicksburg Post’s Anna Guizerix discusses the history of flooding in the Yazoo Backwater area, and why finding a solution is considered controversial.
A months-long landfill fire in Alabama reveals waste regulation gaps
An unregulated landfill that accepts vegetative waste has burned underground for months. Neighbors were inundated with smoke and left wondering why the site wasn't regulated in the first place.
Legal complaint claims Alabama discriminates when distributing sewage infrastructure funds
Alabama only allows state funds for sewage infrastructure to go to public bodies. A civil rights complaint argues the policy hurts communities of color.
Mississippi updated its solar energy guidelines. Renewable energy advocates want more
Mississippi added incentives for low-to-moderate income residents to encourage more investment in renewable energy. Activists are pushing for more access.
Red Mountain Cut features time capsule of Alabama’s robust geologic history
A national natural landmark, the road cut along Birmingham's Red Mountain Expressway documents more than a hundred million years of geologic history and was once an educational centerpiece.
While rebuilding homes, Amish volunteers bond with South Louisiana over faith and food
Amish groups have stepped in to help Louisiana storm victims rebuild when other forms of aid have ended. It’s also led to cultural exchanges and connections.
