Pollution
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.
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.
In the fight for environmental justice, Birmingham tells Jackson to stay loud
Gulf States communities have been living in contaminated environments for years. Jackson and Birmingham residents share strategies that can help.
St. Clair County declares emergency in response to landfill fire
The declaration means the county can ask the state for funding and resources. But residents are left with unanswered questions about the fire's affect on the local air and water quality.
Wealthy Governor’s Company to Pay Nearly $1 Million for Chronic Air Pollution Violations
In the generations before Bluestone acquired the plant in 2019, people living in the area faced exposure to levels of contaminants in the air and soil that have ranked among the worst in the nation.
Settlement Reached To Address ABC Coke Pollution
The Drummond Company will now be required to follow a leak detection and repair program for the rest of the plant’s existence.
EPA Rejects Move To Strengthen Air Pollution Limits
The Trump EPA announced this week that it will not lower the current limit on particulate air pollution, an action that disappointed but didn’t surprise public health scientists and clean-air advocates.
Development Fills the Cahaba River with Sediment
Increased construction around Birmingham has led to concerns about the amount of sediment in the Cahaba River.
Putting a Price Tag on a Fish Kill
Last month's wastewater spill at a chicken plant in Hanceville resulted in the largest reported fish kill in years. Environmental groups and residents want to see hefty fines against those responsible for the incident, but how do officials come up with a dollar amount?
Bill that Changes Ethics Law Stalls
A bill that makes changes to state ethics law stalled this week. But a bill that would block local governments from banning plastic bags and the General Fund budget both advanced. We have an update from Alabama Public Television's Don Dailey.
North Birmingham Neighborhoods ‘Have Taken a Beating,’ Work to Unite Over Pollution Concerns
The EPA Superfund cleanup and ABC Coke’s proposed air emissions permit have dominated health concerns of residents in northern Birmingham neighborhoods for months. Now officials and residents of several neighborhoods there are attempting to form a coalition to broaden the concerns to other sources of possible pollution.
What Are Potential Pollution Sources In Jefferson County?
Thirty-one industries, businesses and other operations in Jefferson County are considered possible large sources of pollution and issued operating permits that recognize that.
Bleached Creek Highlights ADEM Shortfalls, Say Critics
Alabama has some of the most ecologically rich waters in the world. But the agency tasked with monitoring them gets less funding per resident than in any other state. Some complain the Alabama Department of Environmental Management is not doing its job. They point to a contaminated creek in Shelby County as on example.
When the Nation’s Top Polluter Drives a Small-Town Economy
The Miller Electric Generating Plant in West Jefferson is the nation's top greenhouse gas polluter. But it's boosted the town's economy, and many residents aren't concerned about pollution.
New Report Ranks Alabama Second-Worst in Drinking Water Pollution
Contaminants called perfluorinated chemicals or PFC’s have been detected in the drinking water according to findings released on June 8 by The Environmental Working Group, an advocacy organization, in conjunction with researchers at Northeastern University.
Former Lawmaker’s Message Led to Concerns About Property Values
Former State Rep. Oliver Robinson abruptly resigned his legislative seat last November. He recently confirmed to WBHM that he is under investigation. The details of that investigation aren’t known, but reports suggest it’s tied to his interference with efforts by the US Environmental Protection Agency to test for contamination in his former district.
Former State Lawmaker Discouraged Pollution Cleanup Efforts
Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald discusses an investigation that found former State Representative Oliver Robinson tried to discourage efforts to clean up pollution from North Birmingham neighborhoods.
North Alabama Residents Sue 3M Over Drinking Water Contamination
Safe drinking water is an issue that’s been playing out from Parkersburg, West Virginia to Hoosick Falls, New York. It’s a question many courts are taking on. Among the most recent is in North Alabama, where residents and a water authority are suing 3M, maker of products from Scotchgard to Post-It Notes in connection with toxins in the water supply. The EPA is expected to release new guidelines on safe levels this spring. Meanwhile, the fight is on over who might foot the bill if a cleanup is in order.
INTERVIEW: Controversial Comedian Bill Maher
For his decades-long career, comedian and commentator Bill Maher has skewered cherished customs and beliefs. Whether on his HBO show "Real Time with Bill Maher," in his film "Religulous," or doing stand-up, he doesn't shy away from controversy. Politics, drugs, faith -- nothing is sacred. He'll be performing in Birmingham this Sunday, but WBHM's Dan Carsen caught up with him first. It's a serious conversation, but it starts out on a light note and ranges far and wide from there.
