BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Feb. 19, 2009 - Renew Our Rivers has reached another milestone. Alabama Power’s award-winning environmental river cleanup program, now in its 10th year, has collected nearly 10 million pounds of trash and debris from Alabama and Southeast rivers since it began in 2000. This year, cleanups begin March 2 on Lake Eufaula, with another 25 cleanups planned for spring, summer and fall.

Volunteer participation is critical for this effort. Last year, nearly 6,000 people helped collect nearly 900,000 pounds of trash from along Alabama’s lakes and rivers. “One reason Renew Our Rivers has been so successful is because of grassroots support – employees, volunteers and other companies that have all joined together toward one goal,” said Alabama Power President and CEO Charles McCrary.

It all started in 2000 on Gadsden’s Lake Neely Henry. The brainchild of an Alabama Power employee, it was originally known as Renew the Coosa. That first cleanup grew to many, and the campaign was renamed Renew Our Rivers. Annually, Alabama cleanups are held on the Black Warrior, Coosa, Tallapoosa, Chattahoochee, Mobile and Cahaba rivers and Village Creek in Jefferson County.

Today, Renew Our Rivers is one of the Southeast’s largest organized river-system cleanups, thanks to the efforts of more than 15,000 volunteers in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Florida, with support from the media and community partners around the region. Here’s the 2009 Renew Our Rivers schedule:

March 2-7 – Lake Eufaula (Chattahoochee River)
The cleanup will be during the week at varying locations. Volunteers for the Saturday, March 7 event will meet at the U.S. Coast Guard Station at 160 Chewalla Drive in Eufaula at 8 a.m. The cleanup will end at 11:30 a.m. followed by a picnic lunch.
Contact: Michelle M. McAndrews at 334-616-4452 or Bethany Claxton at 334-616-4232 for cleanup sites and other information.

March 21 – Lake Mitchell (Coosa River)
Volunteers will meet at Higgins Ferry Park at 8 a.m. The cleanup will end at noon followed by a picnic lunch.
Contact: Anita Lawson at 205-960-5083 or Steve Miles at 205-755-6432, Lake Mitchell Homeowners and Boat Owners Association.

March 23-28 – Weiss Lake (Coosa River)
The cleanup during the week will be held at various locations. The final cleanup will be Saturday, March 28 from 8 a.m. until noon at the Causeway Landing between Centre and Cedar Bluff on Highway 9.
Contact: Shad Ellis at 256-927-7172 or David Brock at 256-927-6257, Weiss Lake Improvement Association.

March 30-April 4 – Logan Martin Reservoir (Coosa River)
The community cleanup will be Saturday, April 4 from 8 a.m. until noon at Lakeside Landing, off Highway 231 south of Pell City.
Contact: Bud Kitchin at 256-239-0242 or Don Greer at 205-525-4651, Logan Martin Lake Protection Association.

April 11 – Cahaba River (Bibb County)
Volunteers should report to the Piper Bridge boat ramp at 8 a.m. The cleanup will end at noon.
Contact: Paula Fancher at 205-926-4488, e-mail:grits21@netzero.com or cahabafriends@gmail.com.

April 16-17 – Smith Lake (Winston County)
This cleanup will target large blocks of Styrofoam; sites to be determined. Please contact coordinators for information if you wish to participate.
Contact: Laverne Matheson at 256-747-4422 or Mary Ann Crunk at 205-384-5355, Winston County Smith Lake Advocacy.

April 18 – Lake Jordan (Coosa River)
Volunteers should report to Bonner’s Point Landing at 8 a.m. The cleanup will end at noon, followed by a picnic lunch.
Contact: Barbara Dreyer at 334-567-7551, Lake Jordan Homeowners and Boat Owners Association.

April 20-25 – Lay Lake (Coosa River)
The community cleanup will be Saturday, April 25 from 8 a.m. until noon at Beeswax Public Boat Launch, followed by a picnic lunch.
Contact: Judy Jones at 205-669-4865, Lay Lake Homeowners and Boat Owners Association.

April 22-23 – Yates and Thurlow Reservoirs (Tallapoosa River)
Volunteers should contact coordinators for details on cleanup.
Contact: Billy Bryan at 334-283-1054 or Linda Sizemore at 334-283-5425.

April 25 – Lay Lake - E.C. Gaston Steam Plant (Coosa River)
Volunteers will meet at Richey’s Resort located near the plant at 7 a.m. The cleanup will end at noon followed by a picnic lunch. This cleanup is in cooperation with the Lay lake Homeowners and Boat Owners Association and targets areas of the river in the vicinity of the plant.
Contact: Byron Corina, E.C. Gaston Steam Plant, at 205-669-8301 or e-mail bvcorina@southernco.com.

April 29-May 2 – H. Neely Henry Reservoir (Coosa River)
The community cleanup will be Saturday, May 2 from 8 a.m. until noon at the boat ramp on River Road, behind the Hampton Inn off Highway 411 (Rainbow Drive).
Contact: Lisa Dover at 256-549-0900, Keep Etowah Beautiful or Gene Phifer at
256-543-5181, Gadsden Steam Plant.

May 5-9 – Mobile River (Plant Barry)
The cleanup will target areas upstream and downstream of Plant Barry on the Mobile River.
Contact: Don Nelson at 251-829-2732, Plant Barry.

May 9 – Lake Martin (Tallapoosa River)
Volunteers will meet at DARE Park in Dadeville at 8 a.m. The cleanup will end at noon.
Contact: Denise Walls at 256-215-4404, e-mail dwalls@lakemartineda.com, or sign up through Facebook.com, search for Lake Martin.
May 9 –Weeks Bay River Cleanup (Baldwin County)
Contact:  Michael Shelton at 251-928-9792 or e-mail michael.shelton@dcnr.alabama.gov.

May 26-30 – Bankhead Reservoir (Black Warrior River)
The community cleanup will be Saturday, May 30 from 8 a.m. until noon at Buddy Vines Camp. A picnic lunch will follow the cleanup.
Contact: Mark Meador at 205-553-9373, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers or Kellie Johnston at 205-264-8461, Black Warrior Clean Water Partnership.

June 11-13 – Smith Lake (Winston County)
The event will be staged at a site to be determined. The Saturday community cleanup will begin at 8 a.m. and end at noon. A picnic lunch will follow the cleanup.
Contact: Tom Counts or Allison Cochran at 205-489-5111, U.S. Forest Service or Linda Atkinson at 205-387-9999, Winston County Smith Lake Advocacy.

Aug. 8 – Upper Tallapoosa River
Volunteers will report to Tallapoosa River Outfitters off Highway 46 near Heflin.
Directions are on: tallapoosariveroutfitters.com
Contact: Lex Brown at 256-239-6399.

Aug. 10-15 – Holt Lake (Black Warrior River)
The community event will be on Saturday, Aug. 15 at Rocky Branch Park in Peterson off Highway 216 from 8 a.m. until noon. A picnic lunch will follow the cleanup.
Contact: Mark Meador at 205-553-9373, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers or Kellie Johnston at 205-264-8461, Black Warrior Clean Water Partnership.

Sept. 16-19 – Village Creek (Jefferson County)
The community cleanup will be Saturday, Sept. 19 from 8 a.m. until noon.
Contact: Dr. Mable B. Anderson at 205-798-0087.

Sept. 26 – Plant Farley (Chattahoochee River)
Sites to be determined.
Contact: Melanie Rogers at 334-814-4673 or Brad Moore at 334-814-4512, Plant Farley.

Sept. 30-Oct. 3 – Harris Reservoir (Lake Wedowee-Tallapoosa River)
Volunteers during the week should contact organizers for assembly locations. The Saturday, Oct. 3 cleanup will be held at Highway 48 boat ramp from 8 a.m. until noon.
Contact: Bob May at 256-357-2656, Lake Wedowee Property Owners Association or Shelia Smith at 256-396-5093.

Oct. 9 – Locust Fork (Plant Miller)
Miller Steam Plant will host its cleanup with assistance from community volunteers. Sites will include the Miller Plant holding pond and river banks ending at the Birmingport boat ramp.
Contact: Brandon R. Patrick at 205-288-4562, Plant Miller.

Oct. 24 – Lake Mitchell (Coosa River)
The cleanup will be at the Higgins Ferry Park from 8 a.m. until noon, followed by a picnic lunch.
Contact: Anita Lawson at 205-960-5083 or Steve Miles at 205-755-6432, Lake Mitchell Homeowners and Boat Owners Association.

Alabama Power, a subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE:SO), owns and operates 14 hydroelectric plants in Alabama providing clean, low-cost electricity. The facilities also provide more than 157,000 acres of water and more than 4,000 miles of shoreline for the public’s use and enjoyment. For details about all of Alabama Power’s lakes, visit https://lakes.alabamapower.com or call 1-800-LAKES11 (1-800-525-3711).

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Media Contact: Keisa Sharpe 205-257-4155 ksharpe@southernco.com