In the more than a decade since regulators in Alabama permitted a landfill to accept tons of waste from coal-burning power plants across the US, residents in the predominantly Black community of Uniontown have frequently complained about thick, pungent air that burns their eyes.
Some days, it resembles an eerie white Christmas in a place unaccustomed to snow. "When the wind blows, all the trees in the area are totally gray and white," explained Ben Eaton, a Uniontown commissioner and president of Black Belt Citizens Fighting for Health and Justice, a local group advocating for the closure of the facility.
Residents report high rates of kidney failure and neuropathy, symptoms linked to exposure to coal ash, a toxic byproduct containing mercury and arsenic. The controversy, covered by local and national news outlets for years, includes a civil rights case that Eaton's group filed – and lost – in an attempt to close the landfill.
Even when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tentatively denied a state clean-up proposal for coal ash last year, a proposal considered inadequate for waste from Alabama Power, the news never made it to the Birmingham Times or the online Alabama News Center, an investigation by Floodlight discovered. Both outlets have financial ties to Alabama Power, the subject of these stories.
Alabama Power has wielded influence across the state for decades, leveraging the diminishing reach and influence of mainstream newsrooms. Fake news sites operated by political interests, a utility creating news outlets to attack critics, and a publisher accepting payments for positive coverage have all emerged in this changing media landscape, as revealed in Floodlight's recent investigations into power companies' influence on civil rights groups.
Over the last decade, nearly a dozen local reporters and editors were hired to staff the Alabama News Center and the Birmingham Times. A review of content since the utility founded the Alabama News Center in 2015 shows overwhelmingly positive stories about the power company.
Alabama Power's sway over the news in the state acts as a significant silencer, according to 15 reporters interviewed by Floodlight. The utility's advertising purchasing power and its aggressive stance toward critical stories contribute to its control over what news is covered or ignored in Alabama, compounded by the substantial layoffs of news reporters in the past decade.
Alabama Power, a major economic driver in the state, has strong political ties and operates the nation's dirtiest power plant. The utility places steep fees on homeowners, hindering the growth of the rooftop solar industry and keeping Alabama behind other states in clean solar energy production.
The utility's influence extends to local media, with its establishment of the Alabama News Center and financial ties to the Birmingham Times. The news outlets, once vibrant sources of information, now face allegations of biased coverage and strategic omissions. By controlling the narrative, Alabama Power can present itself as a good neighbor while stifling discussions about the environmental burdens faced by communities.
The power company's foray into newsroom financing follows its efforts to ward off a rate hearing in 2013, a period marked by attacks on local reporters critical of Alabama Power. The utility's control over news outlets and the creation of the Alabama News Center illustrate its strategy to bypass traditional media and shape its own narrative.
Despite the challenges faced by local reporters and the limited coverage of critical issues, the fight for transparency and accountability in Alabama's media landscape continues. As newsrooms grapple with financial constraints and the influence of powerful entities, the need for independent and objective reporting remains crucial to informing the public about issues affecting their communities.