Flint River Clean Up
Posted by ReactionaryThe Flint River Conservation Association, the City Of Huntsville Operation Green Team, and WAAY TV sponsored the Flint River Clean Up today as part of the National River Clean Up. Thanks to The Huntsville Times for promoting the Clean Up in Thursday’s newspaper.
Turn out was good, with about 40 people showing up to canoe and pick up trash. City Ecologist Soos Weber was well-prepared with canoes from Redstone Arsenal, gloves, grabbers, trash bags, and plenty of water and sunscreen. I got to meet some great people, including a like-minded fellow from Harvest who enjoys helping Mother Gaia by clearing brush with his chainsaw.
WAAY TV (Channel 31) sent their new reporter Haley Baker to cover the Clean Up, which should air tonight. They got some great footage of the pile of garbage - just imagine what that pile would be like in smell-e-vision.
Most of the Flint River Watershed lies within Madison County District 1 (Roger Jones - D) and District 3 (Jerry Craig - D), with just a little bit of District 5 (Mo Brooks - R).
Mo Brooks was kind enough to respond to the Flashpoint Madison County Commission questionnaire, which asked about “protecting the Flint River”:
Two things can be done to help protect the Flint River. First, Madison County needs a sewage system that will help minimize pollution of ground water supplies and storm runoff into the Flint River. Second, Madison County needs the power to restrict or prevent siphoning of water from the Flint River during low water flow periods.
Bob Long, GOP candidate for District 1, was also kind enough to respond:
I live directly on the Flint River, my family and I canoe, fish and swim in the Flint River so I have a vested interest in protecting this valuable natural resource. I will work hand-in-hand with conservationists to make sure the river is clean, safe and environmentally balanced (new construction, industrial growth, and recreation). I would ensure that as necessary, I will provide support to some of the volunteer and state organizations that are chartered to preserve the Flint River such as; the Madison County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) and the Flint River Conservation Association (FRCA).
Protecting our natural heritage is good public policy.
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June 8th, 2008 at 1:58 am
Your discription of a “like-minded fellow from Harvest who likes to help Mother Gaia by clearing brush with his chainsaw” reminded me of one of my old Scoutmasters who’s now a photographer for the Times.
Great guy. We called him Chainsaw Bob.
June 8th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
I canoed on the Flint River as a teen. It’s a shame it is threatened with pollution. I think the GOP would be well advised to consider these kinds of Conservation efforts. Are you a CONSERVATIVE or not?
June 9th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
DB, I hope you didn’t think my comment was anti-conservation. I’m all for protecting the beauty of nature. His post reminded me of the time I spent in the Boy Scouts repairing trails, helping establish nature preserves etc.
We had a great Scoutmaster, from Harvest, who would always bring his chainsaw to help us clear the bigger trees that had fallen across trails, campgrounds etc.
Now that I’m working a desk-job I really miss those times spent out doors.
June 9th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Political Junkie - the Nature Preserve needs volunteers if you want to get outdoors
I understood DB’s comment to be an exhortation for conservatives to be conservationists. I absolutely agree that the GOP should embrace conservation.
DB - in every speech I’ve heard Wayne Parker give, he has talked about being a “good steward” of the earth.
BTW - I’m working on a post about Flint River and water quality. Here’s a teaser: I spoke with a State water guy (who’s job it is to know things) who said that the Flint wasn’t that bad. The upper Flint has some problems related to agricultural runoff, but it’s a fairly clean river.
June 11th, 2008 at 9:24 am
Some candidate responded to a question about protcecting teh Flint and he said ” my Subdivision backs right up to the Flint, so I am especailly attentive to it.”
June 19th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
I just watched the cleanup segment on WAAY’s website. I think I saw you briefly in the background of one of the shots.
You guys really pulled a big pile of unsightly rubbish from the murky waters.
June 19th, 2008 at 10:10 pm
Yes, that was me.
The trash clean-up is a feel-good project, more to raise awareness and support.
The big impacts are from improving agricultural and construction practices.