By Associated Press
Mobile, AL – According to a survey that compared air quality and environmental policies, Alabama is one of the country's most polluting and least energy-efficient states.
The Forbes magazine survey released this fall also considered factors including energy efficiency and regulations governing hazardous waste disposal in ranking Alabama 48th.
Indiana and West Virginia were the only states that did worse than Alabama, coming in 49 and 50, respectively. Both are home to heavy industrial operations such as coal mines or steel mills.
Mississippi (46th) and Louisiana (47th), rounded out the bottom five states. Surveyors said all five have a mix of toxic waste, pollution and no clear plans for a solution.
Famously ''green'' states Vermont, Oregon and Washington topped the list.
Many previous studies have singled out Alabama's comparatively weak environmental laws and the heavy industrial footprint of the state's coal-fired power plants.
Alabama Power Co. officials have argued in recent years that air quality in the state will get better as the company installs air pollution controls at some of its plants.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)