A child playing in the cold, clear waters of the Sipsey Fork on a summer day, examining what’s swimming below her reflection in the water may not think about the sweetness of the air she’s breathing, or how it smells different from the air in town. She may not be aware that the forest air is fattened with oxygen because of the abundance of trees, that every breath should nourish her cells and spirit. She just knows that it feels good to be in the woods, to run and play, climb on the huge boulders, and splash in the creek that holds wondrous things to discover. While a child’s main focus is enjoyment of this special place, it is the responsibility of our state environmental agency to ensure that she is breathing clean air and playing in clean water.

Unfortunately, the air quality in places like the Sipsey Wilderness, Alabama’s only class 1 designated land, is not as clean as it should be. Air pollution from sources such as industrial facilities across our state regularly emit dangerous emissions that cause hazy skies and harm our lungs. The Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) has a great opportunity right now to reduce air pollution that threatens this child’s health, our tourism economy, and is damaging the health of our public lands and people. In Alabama, we have over 1 million acres of national forests, wildlife refuges, nature preserves, state and local parks providing outdoor experiences for Alabamians wanting to enjoy scenic views, waterfalls, and hikes through the woods. Our state is also home to thriving communities from Birmingham to Montgomery to Mobile. These communities and public lands are intimately connected through Alabama’s growingoutdoor recreation economy and, sadly, the unchecked air pollution that flows freely from industrial facilities to towns, parks, and wilderness areas across the Southeast. ADEM now has a chance to help move us forward and clean the air for so many Alabama families who breathe in the air each day.

Every ten years, all states must submit a Regional Haze plan to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) detailing how they will reduce harmful air pollution that contributes to hazy skies in any national park or wilderness area that is federally designated for special protection. In Alabama, the Sipsey Wilderness Area located in the Bankhead National Forest is protected as are other places in the Southeast like the Great Smoky Mountains and Mammoth Cave National Parks. The Sipsey Wilderness was one of the first Wilderness Areas set aside by Congress in the eastern United States and the river that flows through it, the Sipsey Fork of the Black Warrior River, is the only Wild and Scenic River in Alabama. There are tens of thousands of visitors who come from across the state and nation to hike, paddle and enjoy the magical canyons and waterfalls. These “regional haze plans” are key not only to cleaning up air in wild places, but also for nearby communities. Air pollution knows no boundaries, so the same pollution that causes hazy skies in the Sipsey Wilderness Area travels through countless communities along the way, and is extremely harmful for residents and outdoor recreationists to breathe. Although they are working on it, Alabama is one of 13 states that has not yet submitted this Round 2 plan that was due in 2021.

Haze-causing emissions can travel hundreds of miles from their source. Alabama Power’s Plant Miller in Birmingham, for example, one of thelargest polluters in the country, spews thousands of tons of toxic pollution that harms air quality in Sipsey Wilderness Area. In fact, these emissions can stretch far outside of the state to the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. Plant Miller is not alone — according to an analysis done by the National Parks Conservation Association, there are 23 polluters across the state, including power plants, pulp and paper mills, and cement manufacturers that should be addressed by ADEM in their regional haze plan. Yet according to our information, ADEM plans to only review one of them — Lhoist’s lime manufacturing — leaving 22 other industrial polluters unchecked and unregulated.

Wild Alabama asks ADEM to step up to the plate and protect our children’s health, our communities and the future of our public lands by continuing the work of developing a strong regional haze plan that meaningfully cuts pollution of all types.

Maggie Johnston is the Executive Director for Wild Alabama, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit devoted to inspiring people to enjoy, value, and protect the wild places of Alabama.