 One of Alabama’s most prominent rivers and watershed regions is the Coosa River. The Coosa covers over 10,000 square miles in its watershed areas, impacting 13 different counties, and flows for 280 miles before depositing its waters into the Alabama River in central Alabama. The Alabama River then carries the water into the Gulf of Mexico through the Mobile River and the Mobile Bay.[1]
In 2022, the Coosa River was placed 5th among America’s most endangered rivers because of the nearly one million pounds of toxic chemicals that are deposited into the Coosa River each year.[2] Industries that are given direct access to waste management by situating themselves on the beaches of the Coosa River, depositing their toxic byproducts and sewage directly into the Coosa River, profit off of the river’s ability to carry pollution away from its source and downstream towards other nonconsenting receivers. There are many industries scattered across the watershed area that participate in this. Industries like the National Cement Company in Ragland, Lhoist North American in Calera, two Koch Chicken Processing plants in Gadsden, Gaston Steam Plant in Wilsonville, and Resolute Forest Products Coosa Pines paper mill in Childersburg all contribute to the reported pollutant concentrations of unfiltered sewage, cancer-causing chemicals (carcinogens), and other developmental and reproductive toxins. In 2015, the Gaston Steam Plant was placed as the largest discharger, and the Resolute Forest Products Coosa Pines paper mill was placed as the second largest discharger of cancer-causing chemicals and reproductive toxins.[3] These toxic materials once introduced cost millions to filter out. The biological effects of the toxins that are being introduced should not be taken lightly either and have drastic effects on populations exposed – populations who often do not have the resources to counteract the negative effects of these toxins in their water. The industries that have been identified as primary pollutants are situated in small communities outside of large urban centers like Birmingham, preying on rural Alabama towns. 43.6% of Alabama’s population is considered rural, and many rural communities do not have access to proper healthcare or hospitals.[4] Additionally, these locations often have demographics with a proportionally lower average income level and a disproportionate number of residents below the poverty line or among minority ethnic groups.[5] Further down the river from these pollutants, the rivers touch the inhabitants of the Black Belt, who have historically been disadvantaged and ignored due to income or racial disparities. Without the resources to clean the water they are exposed to or the means to counter the negative effects of the subsequent exposure, these communities are suffering, frequently in silence. The position these industries have taken has given them control over the riverways and access to the resources they need to silence opposition. These companies provide employment and resources that bring profit and economic wellbeing to the locations they are situated in. But at a great cost to the health of that same population and others. However, these for-profit industries have the resources to staff strong legal teams that shut down protests and silence cries for help, leaving the inhabitants to scramble for legal help that is financially unattainable.
This situation brings to light how there is a lot more going on in our local waters than first meets the eye and calls for a deeper analysis of the implications of this pollution crisis. No matter what part of the world you are in, water is evidence of flourishing life and historically one of the most sought-after resources. Alabama teems with diversity and a thriving ecology because of its rivers. Many cities in Alabama that bring life to the rural landscape were placed on the map and sustained by the rivers they are situated beside. However, these industry pollutants are shaping the future of the land we live on without the consent of those who live on it, and we must do all we have the power to prevent systemic abuse of these resources from continuing to impact future generations.
Sources:
[1] “Coosa River,” Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, accessed on 27 February 2024. https://www.britannica.com/place/Coosa-River. [2] “Coosa River Named Among America’s Most Endangered Rivers of 2022,” American Rivers. 18 April 2022, accessed on 27 February 2024. https://www.americanrivers.org/media-item/coosa-river-named-among-americas-most-endangered-rivers-of-2022/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20unfortunate%20intersection%20of%20heavy,Justinn%20Overton%2C%20Coosa%20Riverkeeper%20and. [3] “Here’s Whose Been Dumping Toxic Waste in the Coosa,” Coosa Riverkeeper, accessed on 27 February 2024 https://coosariver.org/heres-whose-been-dumping-toxic-waste-in-the-coosa/). [4] Alabama Public Health, “Access to Healthcare Poses a Challenge in Rural Alabama,” Rural Health. 24 January 2024, accessed 27 February 2024. https://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/ruralhealth/at-a-glance.html#:~:text=Access%20to%20Healthcare%20Poses%20a%20Challenge%20in%20Rural%20Alabama&text=Seven%20rural%20Alabama%20counties%20do,provide%20labor%20and%20delivery%20service. [5] Environmental Integrity Project, “Water Pollution from Slaughterhouses,” Prairie Rivers, 11 October 2018, accessed on 27 February 2024.https://prairierivers.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Slaughterhouse-report-10.11.18.pdf. Images Cited: Cover Image: “Are the fish you catch safe to eat and feed your families?” Coosa Riverkeeper, accessed on 27 February 2024. https://coosariver.org/fishadvisories2023/.
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AuthorAbigail Odom is a student at Auburn University, studying Professional and Public Writing. She is a resident of Alabama and has a passion for the sustainability of the state she calls home. ArchivesCategories |
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