How a Coke Plant Works
Coal is the main ingredient used to make coke. Iron is produced by inputting coal into a blast furnace. However, coal cannot be put directly into a blast furnace because of all the harmful by-products that come from that. So, there is an intermediate process that...
Lawsuit Challenges TVA’s Attack on Solar Energy in the South
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contacts Howard Crystal, Center for Biological Diversity, (202) 809-6926, [email protected] Daniel Tait, Energy Alabama, (256) 812-1431, [email protected] Erin Jensen, Friends of the Earth, (202) 222-0722, [email protected]
Mayor Randall Woodfin Steps Up for North Birmingham
Mayor Randall Woodfin Steps Up for North Birmingham Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin this week sent a letter to the EPA urging the federal agency to place the North Birmingham Superfund Site on the National Priorities List. The EPA first proposed putting the site on...
Gasp, Conservation Groups Demand Lance LeFleur’s Resignation or Termination
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Eleven Conservation Groups Call for ADEM Director’s Resignation or Termination ahead of Annual Job Evaluation BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (July 30, 2018) — The bribery and corruption trial U.S. v. Gilbert, et al yielded many disturbing revelations,...
Advocates Reject the Trump Administration’s Rollback of Clean Car Standards
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE BIRMINGHAM ELECTED OFFICIALS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND STUDENT ADVOCATES REJECT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S ROLLBACK OF CLEAN CAR STANDARDS Leaders Urged Administration to Respect State Authority to Protect Residents from Dangerous Tailpipe...
Official Statement: Convictions a First Step in Securing Justice for North Birmingham
OFFICIAL STATEMENT Corruption Convictions First Step in Securing Justice for North Birmingham BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (July 23, 2018) — On Friday, July 20, a jury found Balch & Bingham Attorney Joel Gilbert and Drummond Company Vice President David Roberson guilty of six...
Gasp Announces New Solar Discount Partnership with Eagle Solar & Light
Gasp Announces New Solar Discount Partnership with Eagle Solar & Light In an effort to expand access to clean, renewable energy in Alabama, Gasp today announced a new partnership with Eagle Solar & Light. Under the agreement, the solar energy company will offer a 5%...
Mayor Randall Woodfin Pledges to Transition Birmingham to 100% Sustainable Energy
Mayor Randall Woodfin Pledges to Transition Birmingham to 100% Sustainable Energy BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (June 7, 2018) — Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin became the first mayor of an Alabama city to sign Gasp’s “Mayors for 100% Sustainable Energy Pledge” (signed document...
Ambient Air Monitoring Plans up for public comment
As in previous years, Gasp is submitting comments on the State of Alabama Ambient Air Monitoring Plans. We will provide ways for you to comment and/or sign onto our comments as well. Comments are due June 21, 2018. You can find the draft plans for ADEM and JCDH below....
Frank Stitt’s Secret: Eating from the Earth
Frank Stitt’s Secret: Eating from the Earth Katie Rogers Katie Rogers is a Birmingham-based writer, feng shui consultant, and filmmaker. You can watch her documentary “CarLess in LA” currently on YouTube). She was happy to attend the E.O. Wilson Lecture with Harvard...
EPA Makes Additional Designations for the 2015 Ozone Standards
On April 30th, EPA took the next step in the Clean Air Act process to implement the national air quality standards for ozone that were issued in 2015. After designating most of the U.S. as meeting the standards in November 2017, the Agency is now completing nearly...
Citizens, Conservation Groups Challenge Alabama Power’s Discriminatory Charges Targeting Rooftop Solar Customers
Citizens, Conservation Groups Challenge Alabama Power’s Discriminatory Charges Targeting Rooftop Solar Customers FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contacts: Emily Driscoll, Southern Environmental Law Center, [email protected], 678-686-848 Michael Hansen,...
Report Finds Rapidly Growing “Green” Energy Industry Releases Dangerous Air Pollution in AL
Report Finds Rapidly Growing “Green” Energy Industry Releases Dangerous Air Pollution in Alabama FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Half of Wood Pellet Plants in U.S. Violate Pollution Limits or Fail to Install Required Emissions Control Equipment Media Contact: Tom...
‘It’s Time for Pruitt to Resign, or Be Removed’
Forty national civil rights, labor, conservation and environmental organizations representing millions of members and supporters across the United States have taken out a series of full page ads Wednesday calling for the resignation or firing of EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt.
Alabama Legislature 2018: Monday Morning Digest
This is the last Monday Morning Digest for 2018 as the session wrapped up last Thursday. I hope these posts have been informative and helpful. Below is the final rundown of bills this session: Enrolled Bills HB40: Amend Ala. Code 32-9-20: extends length restrictions...
Alabama Legislature 2018: Monday Morning Digest
I am doubling up this week and catching you up on the past two weeks of bills that affect health and the environment in Alabama during the 2018 legislative session. Signed into law this week HB53 was delivered to the Governor at 1:06 PM on March 22, 2018. Existing law...
UAB Students Conduct Mini Air Quality Study
Hello! We are Team Leggo My Eggo 11’s, and through our Environmental Factors of Public Health class at UAB, we had the unique opportunity to work with Gasp on a service learning project. Gasp provided us with an air monitor, called an AirBeam, which allowed us to...
Alabama Legislature 2018: Monday Digest
Not much movement or activity last week, but there are a few public hearings this week. SB273 passed the Senate and was read for the first time in the House. The Agriculture and Forestry Committee offered the first substitute to HB370. Hearings this week are as...
Who Does Trey Glenn Work For?
Who Does Trey Glenn Really Work For? Financial disclosures show the EPA Region 4 Administrator was paid at least $5,000 by Balch & Bingham for ‘Drummond/ABC Coke project' by Michael Hansen | March 9, 2018 Yesterday I wrote a lengthy story about then-Sen. Jeff...
Jeff Sessions, Corruption & Environmental Injustice in North Birmingham
Mother Jones is reporting that Attorney General Jeff Sessions was “deeply involved in coordinating the effort to thwart the EPA cleanup” in north Birmingham than we initially thought.
Alabama Legislature 2018: Monday Morning Digest
We have some good news this morning! HB362 was lost in the House, which is good news for the places in Alabama we love protected by Forever Wild. SB85 passed the House and was forwarded to the Governor on February 27th, which allows Alabama to make a meaningful...
More than Air: My Reflections on Interning with Gasp
Working at Gasp has been really eye-opening because I’ve met some passionate Birmingham citizens. Last semester, I went to my first city council hearing and witnessed more than 50 people advocate the need for a non-discrimination law in the workplace. Each person at...
Alabama Legislature 2018: Monday Morning Digest
Good news for transit advocates: SB85 passed the House! Our friends at Alabama Arise have been actively supporting this bill, and their Executive Director, Kimble Forrister, had this to say about the House vote on February 22nd: Creating the Alabama Public...
Raise Money for Gasp with Planet Fundraiser!
Raise Money for Gasp with Planet Fundraiser! Gasp is proud to be an official Planet Fundraiser Cause! The simplest way to support Gasp is by getting the free Planet Fundraiser app. Simply make everyday purchases at businesses listed in the app, submit a picture of...
Alabama Legislature 2018: [Tuesday] Morning Digest
Because of President's Day yesterday, we are doing the Monday Morning Digest on Tuesday this week. There wasn't much movement on any of the bills last week, but several are pending their third readings in the second house, so they could be on their way to becoming law...
Alabama Legislature 2018: Monday Morning Digest
A few bills moved out of the House and into the Senate and vice versa this past week (see the table below for updates). The major bill to watch that was introduced and gained momentum last week is HB362 (the state government also offered an amendment). This...
Alabama Legislature 2018: Monday Morning Digest
Not a lot happened last week. You can see updates in the table below. Just to hit the high points, SB33 and SB85 are on the calendar and pending their third reading. Here are the new bills affecting the environment, energy and public transportation (also in the table...
UAB School of Public Health Students Volunteer for Gasp
We are a group of students in UAB’s School of Public Health, and we had the opportunity to work with Gasp for a service learning project during the 2017 Fall semester. Gasp is implementing a citizen scientist program that will empower communities by allowing them to...
Alabama Legislature 2018: Monday Morning Digest
As always, bills range from no big deal to downright awful this year. We’ll be updating you every Monday on the status of any bills that will affect the environment, public health and public transportation.
Exposure to air pollution increases risk of birth defects
Exposure to air pollution increases risk of birth defects A new study in the Journal of Pediatrics Researchers looks at the relationship between birth defects in about 200,000 infants born between 2006 and 2010 in Ohio and fine particulate matter pollution (PM2.5)...