Alabama Department of Environmental Management

COMMENTARY
A pistol on display

Name the problem

BY: - October 29, 2023

A few months ago, the Alabama Resilience Council convened to discuss ways to prepare the state for extreme weather events. Interesting ideas surfaced, especially on fortifying homes against storm and wind damage. What wasn’t discussed? Climate change. Last week a school safety commission met to discuss responses to and preparations for violence in schools. There […]

A mural of Malcolm X holding a rifle and peeking out a window. The mural is on a brick wall. An aqua blue and white column with the word "Prichard" on it rises in the background.

First floods, now fires: How neglect and fraud hobbled Prichard

BY: - October 3, 2023

This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, independent news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. It is republished with permission. Sign up for their newsletter here.  PRICHARD, Ala.—Sometimes it’s the water that plagues them. Other times, it’s the fire. Da’Cino Dees has waded through the water in the Alabama Village […]

A man seated in a blue leather chair looking to his right.

Alabama Senate committee approves ARPA spending plan, with some changes

BY: - March 15, 2023

An Alabama Senate committee Wednesday approved a House plan to spend $1 billion in American Rescue Plan Act funds, though with a few tweaks. Lawmakers on the Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund committee approved the bill, HB1, after adding an amendment from Sen. Chris Elliott, R-Daphne, that would add stormwater projects to the infrastructure […]

A spreadsheet listing projected allocations of funding for water and sewer projects.

Alabama senators fear state might miss ARPA deadlines

BY: - February 22, 2023

Several legislators said Tuesday they feared the state might not spend money from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) in time to meet key deadlines. The concerns came at a meeting of the Joint Legislative Committee on American Rescue Plan Act State Funds, after speakers said some projects remain in the preconstruction stage. Much of […]