Time for your voice to be heard!

Many families in coastal South Alabama depend on a sound coastal environment for their livelihoods. The coastal communities in south Mobile County have been assaulted by the oil catastrophe. Many families are still recovering from Hurricane Katrina and the ongoing oil catastrophe. These proposals provide needed tangible benefits for these communities.

The proposals have emerged from several community brainstorms held in Coden and on Dauphin Island. These proposals are sensitive to community needs and the goals of the Commission. The set of proposals are not meant to be comprehensive but to be included in the comprehensive plan being developed by the Commission.

Ecological Needs 

• Clean, restore, and enhance gulf and bays
• Build and enhance 100 miles of oyster reefs and 1000+ acres of coastal marsh and seagrass – see http://100-1000.org/
• Ensure that water, air, and food are safe with ongoing long-term testing – data should be fully and immediately available to the public
• Develop comprehensive, fail-safe regulations to prevent future oil catastrophes – prevention is a great deal better than the cure

Coastal Community Participation 

• Enlist local decision making and employment in coastal recovery efforts
• Invest in coastal economic opportunities to support sustainable coastal recovery and enhance Alabama’s coastal areas and waters
• Train south Alabama medical professionals to diagnose and treat environmental health conditions potentially related to the oil catastrophe
• Immediate public transparency on all issues relating to public health such as the use of dispersants in area waters and the ongoing presence of oil and other health threats in area waters
• Listen and learn from coastal communities in order to improve future responses to coastal disasters such as oil spills and hurricanes

Education and Support Initiatives for Oil-Affected Families

• Grant full scholarships for children of low-income, oil-affected families to local universities, community colleges, or technical schools
• Provide job training and a support system for coastal workers and others who have lost their livelihoods due to the oil catastrophe
• Enhance science curriculum at all levels (K through college) to better appreciate Alabama’s coastal environment and to provide appropriate service-learning programs to support the environment (see service-learning resource center at the University of South Alabama http://caslce.usouthal.edu/)

 Coastal Fire Protection 

• Develop a unified, comprehensive plan for coastal fire fighting resources
• Several coastal communities need multipurpose fire engines with 75-foot ladders and with storage for water and foam
• Fire and rescue response boat powered by twin engines and capable of pumping water from sea
• New bunker gear capable of protecting the well-being of the firemen and providing self-contained breathing for firemen
• Radio communications for hazardous-materials quick response needs that connect Mobile, Baldwin, and neighboring counties in Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida

These proposals will be submitted to the Commission this evening at the Bayou La Batre Community Center. This is a public meeting for the Commission to share its plans and receive input from the public. Meeting starts at 5:30 P.M.