Blog Archive
19 copies of ‘Toxic City’ DVD donated to the Birmingham Public Library
For Immediate Release 19 copies of 'Toxic City' DVD donated to the Birmingham Public Library BIRMINGHAM, Ala.- Gasp, a Birmingham-based health advocacy nonprofit, has given the Birmingham Public Library (BPL) 19 DVD copies of “Toxic City: Birmingham’s Dirty Secret,”...
Tell Your Senator to Vote Yes on 100% Renewable Energy by 2050
Earlier this month, Senators Ed Markey (D-MA) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) introduced a resolution in the U.S. Senate to shift America to 100% renewable energy by 2050. The goal of this resolution is to help consumers, support the economy and national security and avoid...
Alabama Court of Civil Appeals Sides with Gasp
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Alabama Court of Civil Appeals Rules in Gasp's Favor BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Alabama Court of Civil Appeals today affirmed a prior court ruling that Gasp is entitled to a hearing before the Jefferson County Board of Health (BOH) on the reissuance...
Gasp Applauds Senators for Introducing RECLAIM Act
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Gasp applauds U.S. Senators Joe Manchin, Tim Kaine, Mark Warner, Sherrod Brown, and Bob Casey who today announced that they are introducing the RECLAIM Act. The bill would release $1 billion over five years to help coal states like...
Gasp Joins 120+ Organizations in Letter to President-Elect Trump, Congress
DEAR PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP & CONGRESS, Communities here at home and around the world are reeling from more extreme and unpredictable weather events, sustained drought, dramatic floods, and unprecedented wildfires. While we will all be impacted, it is the poorest...
Scott Pruitt is an Offensive Choice for the EPA
Yesterday, multiple news outlets reported that President-Elect Donald Trump has selected Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to lead the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Below is Gasp Executive Director Michael Hansen's statement in response to this pick: By...
Where Do We Go From Here?
Friends, Happy Veteran's Day! We are so grateful for the service of those who keep us safe and secure. Our service men and women make it possible for us to do this important work freely. On that note, I don't think I need to tell you that the outcome of the...
Air Quality Concerns After the Colonial Pipeline Explosion
Several people have pinged us since Monday with questions about the tragic Colonial Pipeline explosion in Shelby County and if there is any air quality concerns. First of all, our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the man who lost his life as well as those...
EPA Releases final Environmental Justice 2020 Action Agenda
On Thursday, the EPA released its final EJ 2020 Action Agenda. EPA’s stated vision is to integrate environmental justice into everything that they do, cultivate strong partnerships to improve on-the-ground results, and chart a path forward for achieving better...
Uber-Popular RECLAIM Act Would Benefit Alabama’s Coal Communities
A recent poll shows overwhelming support in Appalachia for a bipartisan bill called the RECLAIM Act that would release $1 billion to create economic development opportunities in coal communities affected by the energy industry's transition away from dirty fossil...
Did the Colonial Pipeline Gas Spill Affect Birmingham’s Air Quality?
On September 9, 2016, during a routine check of an inactive coal mine in the area, an inspector for the Alabama Surface Mining Commission discovered oily residue on the surface of a retention pond and noted a strong gasoline smell. Colonial Pipeline Company says "Line...
EPA Issues Final Cross State Air Pollution Rule
On September 7, 2016, The EPA finalized Federal Implementation Plans (FIPs) in the Cross State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR) Update to address air quality impacts of the interstate transport of ozone air pollution in the eastern United States. CSAPR addresses summertime...
Alabama is the 3rd Most Expensive State for Electricity Bills
Here we go again. Alabama has been named one of the most energy-expensive states according to WalletHub, a website that provides consumers with free financial information and analysis. Source: WalletHub We fared better overall in this year's report than we did in...
Stronger Air Pollution Standards Could Save Lives
"Meeting tighter pollution standards could prevent 63 avoidable deaths, 117 serious illnesses, and 88,414 adverse impact days in Birmingham alone." A report released this week by the American Thoracic Society and the Marron Institute of Urban Management at New York...
Clean Energy Incentive Program Moving Forward Despite Clean Power Plan Delays
As we mentioned before, on February 9, 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court stayed the Clean Power Plan. On May 16, 2016, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered that oral arguments be rescheduled for September 27, 2016 and will be he heard by the full en banc D.C. Circuit...
Help Gasp Fight for Environmental Justice
Some communities in our country suffer from a larger burden of environmental hazards than others. These areas are referred to as environmental justice (EJ) communities. While more attention has been given to EJ communities as of late, tangible, specific changes to...
SCOTUS Denies Appeal Over Embattled MATS Rule
On Monday, the Supreme Court of the United States denied certiorari in Michigan v. EPA. This means that SCOTUS rejected Michigan’s and 20 other states, including Alabama, appeal to block the mercury and air toxics standards (MATS). In denying review, SCOTUS upholds...
Study Finds Air Pollution’s Damage to Lungs, Heart and Brain Underestimated
"Air pollution has emerged as a significant contributor to global stroke burden, especially in low-income and middle-income countries, and therefore reducing exposure to air pollution should be one of the main priorities to reduce stroke burden in these countries."...
Don’t Let U.S. Congress Gut the Clean Air Act!
In March, Representative Pete Olson from Texas introduced H.R. 4775, the “Ozone Standards Implementation Act.” As is often the case, the devil is in the details of this rather innocuous-sounding bill. In fact, H.R. 4775 seeks to not only delay implementation of the...
Here Comes the Sun: Project Sunroof Shows Your Potential
When you think of Google, you probably think of searching the internet for those random questions that pop into your head throughout the day. Or maybe email, chat, mapping directions, document collaboration or one of a dozen other ubiquitous products the company is...
