Study: Air Pollution is Deadly
A study recently published in the journal PLOS Medicine confirms what we already know: air pollution is hazardous to human health. Specifically, the authors found that fine particulate matter was responsible for more than 30,000 deaths in the U.S. in 2015, lowering...
More Strong Evidence Linking Air Pollution to Dementia
Often, when I read scary articles about air pollution and the frightening effects it has on your and my health, I experience a lot of anxiety...and then proceed to do nothing. I was curious about why this happens and why I (a person who is involved in environmental...
Gasp Comments on JCDH Ambient Air Monitoring Network Plan for 2019
Every year Gasp comments on the Ambient Air Monitoring Plans put out by ADEM and JCDH. These plans contain any changes that either ADEM or JCDH plan to make to their ambient air monitoring network in that year. The plans are subject to public comment and EPA must...
‘What’s Up With that Sherman Concrete Plant?’
Here are some of the answers to the most common questions we have been getting about the propose concrete plant relocation to Five Points West.
Clean Air, Healthy Kids: What I Learned as an Intern
While learning the ins and outs of my responsibilities as an intern, I was also learning important information that contributes to the quality of our air.
Groups Sue Trump’s EPA for Coke Oven Cancer Pollution
WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 15, 2019) — Today Earthjustice on behalf of Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future, Gasp, Louisiana Bucket Brigade, and Sierra Club, sued the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for improperly regulating coke ovens – producers of known...
The Consequences of My Consumerism
One of the hard parts for me about our consumerism driven world is that it is often so easy for me, a privileged middle class white female, to not feel the consequence of my own actions. We’ve known for a long time that minorities, specifically Black and Hispanic...
Alabama’s Largest Electricity Consumer Commits to Sustainability Goal
Mia Murr, Intern at UAB, Volunteer at Gasp I was born and raised most of my life in Norway, where I was early exposed to and educated about environmental issues and sustainability. It became a passion, as I understood the importance of conserving our earth and its...
How Air Pollution Gets Into Our Bodies
I have to be honest. Until I started reading about air pollution, I didn’t think much about it. I mean, I knew that it was bad in a vague, general kind of way, but my thinking never went past that. Air quality was way too easy to ignore, and it was even easier to...
FAQs About ABC Coke’s Permit: What You Need to Know
Last fall, the Jefferson County Department of Health posted ABC Coke's Title V pollution permit renewal application. (Title V is just a provision of the Clean Air Act.) We asked for (and received) an extension on the public comment period to allow us and residents of...
Clean Air, Healthy Brains
It’s been known for quite some time that polluted air leads to heart and lung problems, and now we are becoming aware that air pollution also has a negative effect on our brains [1]. There is growing evidence that toxic chemicals in our air are linked to disorders...
Volunteer Spotlight: Anna Vantsevich
Every single person is affected by air, either immediately or in the long run. This is the main reason that I chose to get involved with Gasp, the group that believes everyone deserves healthy air.
Katie’s Corner: My First Month Interning at Gasp
My name is Katie Causey and I am a junior at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. I am majoring in Biomedical Science with a minor in chemistry. My long-term career goal is to become a physician to improve the quality of human health. So far working as one of...
Gasp Delivers Blistering Letter to Environmental Management Commission, ADEM
On Friday, February 15, Haley Lewis, our staff attorney, hand delivered a rebuttal to inaccurate statements made by Alabama Environmental Management Commission (EMC) members and the director of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) during the...
Toxic Birmingham: Power, Pollution and Corruption
Media Inquiries: Please contact Michael Hansen, Executive Director, at 205-701-4270 or [email protected] Note: This is a living story. We will update this article periodically with new information, additional context, and more links as we discover them — and find...
Sunlight is the Best Disinfectant: Trey Glenn Edition
This post focuses on former EPA Region 4 Administrator and former ADEM Director Trey Glenn's alleged involvement in the EPA/Superfund corruption scandal in our "Sunlight is the Best Disinfectant" series. Today’s spotlight is on Trey Glenn, who until recently...
Settlement Alleges Clean Air Act Violations by Drummond’s ABC Coke
Drummond Company has reached a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Jefferson County Board of Health (JCBH) for alleged violations of the Clean Air Act at the ABC Coke in Tarrant, Ala. The consent decree,...
Hoover High School Bio-Bucs: Testing the Air
The Hoover High School BioBucs is the Hoover High School environmental science research competition team. They were inspired to monitor the air by Gasp’s documentary Toxic City: Birmingham’s Dirty Secret since Birmingham is so close to home.
Gasp Comments on ABC Coke Permit: What Happens Next
Here are Gasp’s complete comments on ABC Coke’s air permit, as well as a graphic detailing what comes next.
Environmental Agency Leaders Indicted for Criminal Violations in Alabama
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMedia Contacts:Michael Mullen, President, Environmental Defense Alliance, 334-807-1365, [email protected] Michael Hansen, Executive Director, Gasp, 205-746-4666, [email protected] Agency Leaders Indicted for Criminal...
Sunlight is the Best Disinfectant: A Post-Corruption Trial Update
Sunlight is the Best Disinfectant: A Post-Corruption Trial Update After the corruption trial of Joel Gilbert (Balch & Bingham) and David Roberson (Drummond Company), Gasp will begin sharing documents in evidence and explaining how and why this story matters, and...
Meet Gasp Interns: Gabrielle Gordon
Meet Gasp Interns: Gabrielle Gordon Gabbi Gordon is a UAB student completing an internship with Gasp through UAB's Academic Small Business Alliance (ASBA) program. Thanks to ASBA for the partnership! What is your major at UAB and why did you choose it? I am majoring...
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...
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...