April 9, 2008

What: The second annual Cahaba River cleanup will be this Saturday, April 12. Volunteers will meet at the Piper Bridge boat ramp at 8 a.m. to remove trash, tires and discarded items from the lake. The cleanup will end at noon, followed by a hotdog lunch.

Renew Our Rivers is being coordinated by the Friends of the Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge. In 2007, more than three tons of trash and debris was removed from the Cahaba River.

Overview: Renew Our Rivers, the Southeast’s largest river cleanup campaign,
has collected nearly 8.6 million pounds of trash and debris from Alabama and Southeast rivers since its 2000 inception. There are 27 cleanups planned through Oct. 25.

Cleanups are held on the Cahaba, Coosa, Tallapoosa, Black Warrior and Mobile rivers in Alabama.

Directions: Directions to Piper Bridge boat ramp
From Birmingham – Take Interstate 20/59 toward Tuscaloosa.  Take Exit 97.  Take a left onto Highway 11.  At the flashing light, take a left onto Highway 5.  Travel 9 miles and take the second West Blocton exit at the flashing light onto Blocton By-Pass/Cahaba River Road/ County Road 24.  Travel 5 miles to the Piper Bridge boat ramp.

From Birmingham – Take Interstate 65 South toward Calera.  Take the first Calera exit onto Highway 31 South.  Take a right onto Highway 25 South and travel approximately 19 miles.  Take a right onto County Road 65/Bulldog Bend Road and travel approximately four to five miles.  At a stop sign, take a left onto County Road 24.  Travel approximately one to two miles until the Piper Bridge boat ramp.

Contact: Paula Fancher (205) 926-4488

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Media Contact: Keisa Sharpe, Alabama Power Corporate Communications, 205.257.4155,  ksharpe@southernco.com