Top 10 Most Endangered Areas in the South for 2009

The population along Georgia's coast is expected to double by 2020. How will we take care of our precious salt marshes?

/PRNewswire/ -- The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), the largest environmental advocacy organization dedicated solely to protecting the Southeast, today announced a list of ten special places in the South that face immediate, potentially irreparable threats in 2009. These endangered areas were chosen among hundreds that are impacted by SELC's law and policy work throughout the six states of Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama.

"The South is not only the fastest growing region in the United States but in many respects, the South is also a testing ground for the nation's most pressing environmental issues, including energy, global warming, drought, land conservation, and biological diversity," said Jeff Gleason, SELC's Deputy Director.

The next 12 months will be telling for SELC's list of endangered areas as they face a series of decisions that will either raise or lower the bar nationwide on critical issues like air quality and clean water. "Our region will either protect -- or lose -- areas of our native forest, coastline, and rural countryside. How the South accommodates growth and development while preserving our precious natural heritage could set a model for the rest of the country," added Gleason.

Gleason also points out that the South disproportionately contributes to global warming. "If our six-state region were viewed as a country, we would rank 7th in the world for output of carbon dioxide. Reducing carbon emissions in the South is a critical part of any comprehensive global warming solution."

Top Ten Endangered Areas in the South for 2009:

1) Clinch and Powell Rivers (Virginia)

Issue: Construction of a new coal-fired power plant in Wise County will accelerate mountaintop removal mining in Appalachia, and further increase mercury levels in the Clinch and Powell rivers.

2) Interstate 81 Corridor (Virginia)

Issue: Virginia officials are reexamining a plan to widen all 325 miles of I-81 to perhaps eight lanes to support long-haul truck traffic -- a plan that would cost billions of dollars and cause tremendous harm to communities and historic, scenic, and environmental resources.

3) Marine Waters (Virginia)

Issue: Virginia is the first state in our region to begin the process of opening up its marine waters to offshore drilling for oil and gas. The benefit of this short-term supply of energy is dramatically outweighed by the harm to the environment and communities.

4) Globe Forest (North Carolina)

Issue: Destruction of rare, old-growth forest in the Southern Appalachians.

5) Pamlico River (North Carolina)

Issue: The single largest destruction of wetlands in North Carolina's history will occur if a phosphate mining company gets permission to expand its operations on the river's banks.

6) Great Pee Dee River (South Carolina)

Issue: Santee Cooper, a state-owned utility, is proposing to build more coal-fired power plants with outdated technology that would dump an additional 300 pounds of mercury into an already mercury-overloaded river.

7) Johns Island (South Carolina)

Issue: A $420 million highway proposal threatens to bring large-scale development to this historic community, transforming the island into a sea of condos, mega-stores, and traffic.

8) Salt Marshes (Georgia)

Issue: Large-scale development on biologically rich islands and tidal waters.

9) Weeks Bay (Alabama)

Issue: Unchecked development and weak regulation threatens an area so unique it is one of only three in Alabama to receive the designation of Outstanding Natural Resource Water.

10) Cherokee National Forest (Northeast Tennessee)

Issue: The U.S. Forest Service is moving forward with its plans to log several areas of this remarkable landscape, endangering trout, unbroken wildlife habitat and rare species.

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New Cases of Diagnosed Diabetes on the Rise

The rate of new cases of diagnosed diabetes rose by more than 90 percent among adults over the last 10 years, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The data, published in CDC′s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, show that in the past decade, the incidence (new cases) of diagnosed diabetes has increased from 4.8 per 1,000 people during 1995-1997 to 9.1 per 1,000 in 2005-2007 in 33 states.

“This dramatic increase in the number of people with diabetes highlights the increasing burden of diabetes across the country,” says lead author Karen Kirtland, Ph.D., a data analyst with CDC′s Division of Diabetes Translation. “This study demonstrates that we must continue to promote effective diabetes prevention efforts that include lifestyle interventions for people at risk for diabetes. Changes such as weight loss combined with moderate physical activity are important steps that individuals can take to reduce their risk for developing diabetes.”

The study used data from CDC′s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, and provides incidence rates of diabetes for 43 states and two U.S. territories. Only 33 states had data for both time periods, but 43 states collected data in 2005-2007.

State-specific, age-adjusted estimates of new cases of diabetes ranged from 5 per 1,000 people in Minnesota to 12.7 per 1,000 in West Virginia. The number of news cases was highest in Puerto Rico at 12.8 per 1,000. States with the highest age-adjusted incidence were predominately Southern states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia.

“This report documents the geographic distribution of new cases of diabetes and is consistent with previous studies showing an increase in new diabetes cases,” said Kirkland. “We must step up efforts to prevent and control diabetes, particularly in the Southern U.S. region where we see higher rates of diabetes, obesity and physical inactivity.”

CDC, through its Division of Diabetes Translation, funds diabetes prevention and control programs in all 50 states, including the District of Columbia, and seven U.S. territories and island jurisdictions. The National Diabetes Education Program, co-sponsored by CDC and the National Institutes of Health, provides diabetes education to improve treatment for people with diabetes, promote early diagnosis and prevent or delay the onset of diabetes.

For more information about diabetes, visit www.cdc.gov/diabetes. The MMWR report is available at www.cdc.gov/mmwr.

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