Air Quality: On The Line
Birmingham’s air quality has improved significantly over the last century. But you wouldn’t know it. The area still has problems with smog and other particulate matter, exceeding federal standards. On the next On The Line, June 23 at 6:30 p.m., our guests take your comments and questions about Air Pollution and how to clean up Birmingham.
Email questions or comments for our panelists to [email protected]
Jenny Dorgan is a program coordinator with the Alabama Environmental Council. Dorgan first became involved with the AEC as a student at the University of Alabama. While she was studying core UA classes and participating in New College seminars around her depth study “Global Environmental Action,” she was actively engaged in the efforts of AEC’s Tuscaloosa Chapter and through that experience was on her way to becoming the advocate that she is today. She was mentored by Dr. Ed Passerini, professor, solar car inventor and AEC Emeritus Director.
Dorgan has worn many hats at AEC including working on Cahaba River issues related to AEC litigation of the Sunkist Chicken Plant pollution, authoring Dirty Dozen, founding the Citizen Action Network (AEC CAN) founder, and serving as Acting Director of the organization. She is thrilled to be back in her role as Program Coordinator helping AEC to reach its goal of “Healthy Air as a Birthright for all Alabamians”.
Willard Bowers joined Alabama Power in 1965 as a part time employee doing water quality studies on Alabama Power Reservoirs and around steam plants. Upon graduating from the University of Alabama in 1969 with my MS Degree in Industrial Engineering, he worked for three years with the Navy Department in Washington, D.C. In 1971, he returned to Alabama Power as the Reservoir Regulation Engineer with responsibility for engineering studies involving hydro operations, interchange contract provisions, hydro budget studies. In 1975 he transferred to Southern Company Services as Manager, Environmental Licensing for Southern’s nuclear, fossil and hydro facilities. He also was responsible for activities involved in EPA rulemakings under the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and other environmental laws.
After various promotions, Bowers assumed the position of Vice President of Environmental Affairs with Alabama Power in 2002. He is responsible for Environmental Compliance and represents the Company before regulatory agencies and in various public forums on environmental issues.
Corey Masuca is a senior air pollution control engineer with the Jefferson County Department of Health. He manages the engineering staff who assure compliance with industrial source air pollution control rules and regulations, inspect facilities, construct and issue permits, and initiate enforcement actions. Masuca earned a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering degree from Auburn University and a PhD in Environmental Health Engineer from University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Nelson Brooke is Executive Director of Black Warrior Riverkeeper. As Riverkeeper, Nelson patrols and photographs the Black Warrior River and its tributaries, researches and analyzes polluters’ permits, responds to citizen complaints, educates the public about the beauty of the river and threats to it, and is a spokesman for the Black Warrior River watershed. Brooke attended the Altamont School in Birmingham and graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with an anthropology degree. Nelson is an Eagle Scout and an outdoor enthusiast who has enjoyed fishing and hunting along the banks of the Black Warrior River since he was seven years old.
Birmingham is 3rd worst in the Southeast for ozone pollution, new report says
The American Lung Association's "State of the Air" report shows some metro areas in the Gulf States continue to have poor air quality.
Why haven’t Kansas and Alabama — among other holdouts — expanded access to Medicaid?
Only 10 states have not joined the federal program that expands Medicaid to people who are still in the "coverage gap" for health care
Once praised, settlement to help sickened BP oil spill workers leaves most with nearly nothing
Thousands of ordinary people who helped clean up after the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico say they got sick. A court settlement was supposed to help compensate them, but it hasn’t turned out as expected.
Q&A: How harm reduction can help mitigate the opioid crisis
Maia Szalavitz discusses harm reduction's effectiveness against drug addiction, how punitive policies can hurt people who need pain medication and more.
The Gulf States Newsroom is hiring a Community Engagement Producer
The Gulf States Newsroom is seeking a curious, creative and collaborative professional to work with our regional team to build up engaged journalism efforts.
Gambling bills face uncertain future in the Alabama legislature
This year looked to be different for lottery and gambling legislation, which has fallen short for years in the Alabama legislature. But this week, with only a handful of meeting days left, competing House and Senate proposals were sent to a conference committee to work out differences.
