pollution

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) — Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey says the state's environmental agency needs to do a better job responding to chemical releases into the Tennessee River in north Alabama.

Responding to media reports that 3M released pollution for years without state intervention or disclosure, Ivey told reporters in Huntsville on Wednesday that the Alabama Department of Environmental Management needs to present solutions to the problem.

Enjoying cooler and cleaner air in Birmingham could come down to planting more urban trees.

That’s according to a new study from the Nature Conservancy. The organization released a study last week analyzing nearly 250 of the world’s largest cities. They studied the impact trees have on mitigating heat and air pollution within the cities. The report finds planting more trees in cities like Birmingham could reduce temperatures by up to 4 degrees Fahrenheit in summer months. Additional trees could also cut down on air pollution from sources like car exhaust and power plants.

This year’s Alabama’s Coastal Cleanup event is set for this weekend.

Volunteers will be combing Alabama’s beaches and waterways tomorrow morning removing as much trash as possible. Event organizers say over the 28 years of Coastal Cleanup, Alabama volunteers have managed to clear over 1.5 million pounds of trash from the state’s coast and rivers during the one-day effort.

Angela Underwood is the State Coordinator for Alabama Coastal Cleanup. She explains why the annual event is so important.