We are only two months into 2026 and it is shaping up to be the exciting year we expected! From a wildly politically-messy legislative session to more rollbacks on major environmental regulations from the federal government, to continued proposals for data centers and other industrial developments in communities across the state, our Alliance is needed now more than ever and we are proving it is up to the task! Below is an update of the year so far, starting with what may have brought you to open this email…
ISSUE ADVOCACY
UPDATE ON SB 71
We were warned late last year that ARA and our partners would have to stop what we had planned for the session and use every card in the deck to fight against a horrible bill.They weren’t kidding! Unfortunately, SB 71 passed the Senate early in the session, the House last Tuesday, and was signed by the Governor late last week. That was after more than a month of constant strategizing, thousands of emails and phone calls, hundreds of meetings, dozens of articles and news reports, and more public outcry from Alabamians in favor of protecting our rivers than ever before.
We were up against the most powerful interests in our state during an election year and we made them have to work really hard for this. Building power takes time, and we won’t win every battle, but we must keep building and fighting for the things we hold dear. While this bill is very harmful, we know our strong, passionate and dedicated movement will continue to protect Alabama’s water, air, and land with every tool available to us! There are still several weeks left in the session so stay tuned to the latest bills of interest on our website by clicking here.
UPDATE ON SSE4 PIPELINE
The South System Expansion 4 (SSE4), proposed by Southern Natural Gas Company and Elba Express Company, would add 291 miles of new methane gas pipeline across Mississippi, through 10 counties in Alabama and across Georgia. It will expand or add compression at 14 existing compressor stations. It is connected to a separate project (the Mississippi Crossing, or MSX) and must be authorized by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in order to move forward.
As part of the review process, FERC is required by federal law to produce an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The Draft EIS is open for comment until March 23 and FERC is hosting three meetings across the state to accept oral comments. These meetings will take place in Butler, Selma and Tuskegee this week. Click here to learn more about these meetings and to stay up to date on ARA’s efforts to organize partners and communities to resist this misguided increase in fossil fuels being pushed across our region.
UPDATE ON DATA CENTERS
Good news here! The City of Columbiana has adopted a comprehensive data center zoning ordinance, that sets out what data centers in Columbiana will be required to disclose. The ordinance requires minimum buffers between data center buildings and residential areas, disclosure of potential utility rate increases, and disclosure of how much water future data centers will consume. This is the first comprehensive data center ordinance in the state of Alabama!
In Bessemer, the city council continues to move forward with a proposal to rezone 900 additional acres for the proposed hyperscale data center in that community. ARA and our partners are following this proposal, and we will continue our work with community members to ensure that the city’s process is transparent and takes residents’ concerns seriously.
In Birmingham, members of the Birmingham Planning and Zoning Committee are asking the full city council to consider a moratorium on data center development within the city. A public hearing is scheduled to take place on March 3. ARA and partners spoke with City Councilors about how important this moratorium could be for our rivers and streams.
ARA continues to work with community leaders advocates and local governments who are willing to work with their communities to ensure that data center proposals are properly reviewed and that local governments are communicating with their constituents. Follow our data center work here.
COLLABORATION
ALABAMA WATER RALLY!
We’d love for you to join us at Alabama Water Rally March 20-22, where you can learn more
about the issues impacting our rivers and streams, and plug into a network of advocates – just like you – from across Alabama working to protect our rivers. Click here to learn more and register. HOT OFF THE PRESS! We just published our draft agenda-at-a-glance! SPECIAL NOTE: Rooms are filling up fast. Register now to be added to a wait list for a room at the Elevation Hotel or to reserve a room nearby at the Staybridge Suites.
Huge thank you to our sponsors for helping make Alabama Water Rally 2026 super awesome!
City Councilor Andrew Szymanski, Southern Environmental Law Center, Conservation Alabama, Groundwork Project, Sierra Club of Alabama, The Nature Conservancy in Alabama, Montgomery Whitewater, Trutta Environmental Solutions, Energy Alabama, Black Warrior Riverkeeper, The Conservation Fund, Osprey Initiative, Cahaba River Coalition, BlackBelt Women Rising
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
ALSTARs TRAINING
Our 2nd class of Alabama Special Trained Advocates for Rivers (ALSTARs) training is underway! We are excited to have 10 active trainees who are learning more about state and local government, and are building relationships with their elected officials. From attending training webinars, to making calls, to joining us in Montgomery, the ALSTARs are stepping up to defend Alabama’s rivers and protect clean water across the state!
SOUTHERN EXPOSURE FILMS
The 2025 Southern Exposure film collection has been traveling far and wide, reaching audiences across Alabama and beyond through record-breaking screening events. So far, the films have been shared with communities in Birmingham, Montgomery, Mobile, Sewanee, TN, Montevallo, Talladega, Decatur, Homewood and more! Up next: screenings in Mentone, Auburn, Huntsville. Click here to keep up with where you can see the films next.
This collection of films have also seen great success at film festivals all over the globe! Some examples include: SALABAMA and HYPERSCALED both had a standing-room-only crowd at the Wild and Scenic Film Festival. With UNDERMINED, these three films will go On Tour across North America. THE RIVER’S GIFT had a special screening and discussion in Minnesota last week, and continues to inspire audiences all over. KNOWING was recently featured as part of the World Water Film Festival’s program at the Water + Energy Exchange (WEX) Global conference in Spain! There are many more stops ahead for each of these films, click here to keep up with where they can be seen!
Applications are open now for the 2026 Southern Exposure film fellowship! Click here to read more and to share with aspiring filmmaker friends and family!
None of this work is possible without supporters like you who speak out when needed, take action when asked, and contribute financially! Thank you for all you do to support clean water, flowing rivers and healthy communities and for being an important part of the movement to #DefendRivers across Alabama!