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windershinwishes t1_j2542nq wrote

The largest part of Alabama's biodiversity is found in the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta, the second largest river delta in the lower 48.

>The Mobile–Tensaw delta is ecologically important and includes a wide variety of habitats, including mesic flood plains, cypress-gum swamps, tidal brackish water marshes, bottomland forests and submersed grass beds.[3] As one of the most biologically diverse regions in both Alabama and the United States, it is home to 126 species of fish, 46 mammals, 69 reptiles, 30 amphibians,[2] and at least 300 species of bird, including more than 110 which nest in the region.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile%E2%80%93Tensaw_River_Delta

As with all good things, it is currently exposed to a lot of pointless risk.

>In September, the Southern Environmental Law Center and former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama Richard Moore filed a lawsuit on behalf of Mobile Baykeeper against Alabama Power. The suit challenges the company’s illegal plan to permanently leave more than 21 million tons of toxin-laden coal ash at Plant Barry in an unlined pit within the floodplain on the banks of the Mobile River. 
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>“Plant Barry is the only coal ash lagoon of a major utility left in a low-lying coastal area of the Southeast that is not already cleaned up or on track to be recycled or removed to safe storage, away from waterways,” said Barry Brock, director of SELC’s Alabama office. “It is past time that Alabama Power faced up to the fact that leaving wet, polluting coal ash on the banks of the Mobile River is not a long-term solution — it’s a looming disaster.” 
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>For decades, coal ash at Plant Barry has been contaminating groundwater with high levels of arsenic and other pollutants. Now that the utility is required by federal law to close and clean up its coal ash, Alabama Power presented a plan to continue storing millions of tons of coal ash in a pit next to the Mobile River, ensuring continued pollution. 

Alabama Power is a monopoly owned by Southern Company, which has had some of its questionable political dealings and associations in the news lately:

https://www.al.com/news/2022/12/matrix-paid-news-outlets-to-give-alabama-power-favorable-coverage-report-states.html

>An influential political consultant for Alabama Power has financial ties to three news organizations in the state that gave glowing coverage to the powerful utility while damaging the company’s opponents, according to a report published Monday.
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>Matrix LLC, the Montgomery-based political consulting firm that boasts Alabama Power as a longtime client, paid $900,000 to six media organizations in Alabama and Florida, including Yellowhammer News, Alabama Today and Alabama Political Reporter in Alabama, according to the report by NPR and Floodlight.

(That political consulting firm has done lots of similar shady stuff for Florida's monopoly utility):

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-ne-dark-money-ghost-candidates-tactics-20211230-7zelkoadffclde3z76ax3cgx3m-htmlstory.html

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As a result, the Alabama Public Service Commission, which is tasked with regulating the monopoly, is widely known to be a completely subservient selection of puppets for Southern Company. Putting aside this impending environmental catastrophe, Alabama Power customers pay some of the highest rates in the country, while Southern Company has been consistently making billions in profit.

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