Alabama power’s coal ash contamination threatens america’s second-largest river delta

Alabama Power continues to endanger one of America’s most ecologically vital regions while prioritizing fossil fuel investments over environmental protection, according to the third installment of an investigative series examining the utility company’s influence across the state.

The Mobile-Tensaw Delta in South Alabama, often called the “American Amazon,” serves as the collection point for waters flowing through the Deep South’s pine and cypress forests. This massive wetland ecosystem—the nation’s second-largest river delta—faces mounting environmental threats as Alabama Power’s coal ash ponds continue leaching contaminants into local groundwater systems.

Despite documented pollution from these toxic waste sites, Alabama Power has doubled down on fossil fuel energy investments rather than prioritizing cleanup efforts or transitioning to renewable alternatives. The utility’s approach highlights a broader pattern of corporate influence over Alabama’s energy policy, electric rates, and environmental regulations that has left critical ecosystems vulnerable.

The Mobile-Tensaw Delta supports an extraordinary diversity of wildlife and serves as crucial habitat for numerous species, earning its comparison to the Amazon rainforest. However, the ongoing groundwater contamination from coal ash storage threatens both the delta’s ecological integrity and the communities that depend on clean water resources. Alabama Power’s continued resistance to comprehensive remediation and renewable energy adoption underscores the complex intersection of corporate power, environmental protection, and public health in the American South.