Meetings About New Regulations for Alabama Underwater Cultural Resources
November 7, 2005
Much has been happening concerning Alabama's dive law. The Alabama Historical Commission is proposing new regulations that will control where and how divers can dive in Alabama. Two meetings have been set up to allow divers to comment on proposed regulations. One meeting is this Thursday November 10th at 5:30 in Selma and the other is the following week in Mobile. This is the only opportunity that divers, collectors and gold prospectors will have to express their wishes. We have had no input up to this time and we need to show up in Selma and Mobile. To get this far along has been a struggle since 1999 when the current regulations were written. Selma is not a diving town. They have no dive store and don't teach scuba diving there. Selma is not where the meeting should have been held. It should have been Birmingham. The Birmingham area has one-third of the state's population yet we have been excluded from having the public meetings here or anywhere in North Alabama.
In Selma and Mobile we will have much opposition from people who do not dive and do not understand what we are about. We need all dive stores to contact their divers and ask them to attend this meeting. I think we can work out acceptable regulations if we have a good turn out at the meetings. This war in Alabama has dragged on for many years and both sides have been bruised and bloodied. I want the fighting to end and I'm sure the staff and directors of the Historical Commission want the pain to end. Remember that the original law was passed to control salvage of historical shipwrecks. I think we can get the new regulations to do what the legislators wanted the law to do. Here is a link to the proposed new regulations from the AHC.
http://www.ssdsupply.com/aucraP/Proposedregulationamendment_.pdf
The suggested regulations can work but need a couple sentences added to clarify the definition of Cultural Resources. I suggest that we add the following: Isolated finds that are not listed on or determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places are not covered by the definition of cultural resources in the law. Recreational gold prospectors are not affected by these regulations unless the gold dust that they might find is a part of or associated with a cultural resource.
Many divers, collectors and historians have worked very hard to get back our freedoms to dive and find relics in Alabama. Now we need all of us to take part and not just watch what happens. Everyone also needs to write a letter or email to Elizabeth Brown at the AHC and send copies to all of the directors of the AHC. Also send a letter to Governor Riley.
Here is there contact information:
Elizabeth Brown
468 South Perry Street
Montgomery, AL. 36130-0900
[email protected]
1. Mrs. Janice Hawkins (res.) 110 McKinley Dr Troy, AL. 36081
office Troy State University 110 McCartha Hall, Troy, AL. 36082
home phone 334-670-3475 office phone 334-353-5889 or 334-670-3370
e-mail: [email protected]
Chair: 2. Mr. William Drinkard
Drinkard Development, Inc. 1301 Welti Rd SE Cullman, AL. 35055
Drinkard Development PO Box 996 Cullman, AL. 35056-0996
home phone 256-775-0200 office phone 256-738-1815
e-mail: [email protected]
Secretary: 3. Mr. Kippy Tate
State Building Commission
770 Washington Ave Ste. 444
Montgomery, AL. 36130-1150
office phone 334-242-4082
e-mail: [email protected]
Treasurer: 4. Mr. Bobby M. Junkins, Etowah County Probate Judge
PO Box 187
Gadsden, AL. 35902
phone 205-932-4519
e-mail: [email protected]
5. Dr. James "Ike" Adams Jr.
The University of Alabama
Dean, School of Social Work
Tuscaloosa, AL. 35487
phone 205-348-3924
e-mail: [email protected]
6. Honorable Lucy Baxley
Alabama State House, Ste. 725
11 South Union St.
Montgomery, AL. 36130
phone 334-242-7900
e-mail: [email protected]
7. Dr. Edwin Bridges, Alabama Department of Archives and History
PO Box 300100
Montgomery, AL. 36130-0100
Phone 334-242-4435 or 334-242-4441
e-mail: [email protected]
8. Mr. Nicholas Cobbs Jr, Attorney
1110 Main St.
Greensboro, AL. 36744
phone 334-624-4202
9. Honorable Seth Hammett, Speaker of the House of Representatives
PO Box 1776
Andalusia, AL. 36420
or
Room 519-A, 11 South Union Street
Montgomery, AL. 36130
Home phone 334-222-4469
office phone 334-242-7668
e-mail: [email protected]
10. Mr. Barnett Lawley
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
64 N. Union St.
Montgomery, AL. 36104
phone 334-242-3486
e-mail: [email protected]
11. Mr. Danny Cooper
Alabama Association of Realtors
PO Box 4070
Montgomery, AL. 36103-4070
phone 334-262-3808
[email protected]
12. Mr. Guy Spencer
PO Box 45
Huntsville, AL. 35804
[email protected]
13. Mr. Stephen Martin
Alabama Education Association
PO Box 4177
Montgomery, AL. 36103-4177
phone 334-834-9790
e-mail: [email protected]
14. Dr. Geri Moulton
University of South Alabama
307 University Boulevard
Mobile, AL. 36685
phone 251-460-6111
15. Mrs. Vivian Paul
148 S Jackson St.
Grove Hill, AL. 36451
home phone 251-275-3949
office phone 251-275-4131
16. Honorable Bob Riley, Governor
Alabama State Capital
600 Dexter Ave
Montgomery, AL. 36130
17. Mr. Lee Sentell
Alabama Bureau of Tourism and Travel
PO Box 4927
Montgomery, AL. 36104-4927
18. Mr. Steve Sharp
702 Piedmont Lake Rd.
Pine Mountain GA. 31822
home phone 706-663-8776
cell phone 706-289-4714
19. Dr. Craig Sheldon
AUM, Department of Anthropology
7300 University Drive
Montgomery, AL. 36117-3596
home phone 334-567-8942
office phone 334-244-3765
20. Dr. Robert Jakeman
Auburn University History Department
310 Thach Hall
Auburn, AL. 36849
phone 334-844-6634
e-mail: [email protected]
21. Dr. Dan Bennett
Auburn University, Dean, School of Architecture
202 Dudley Hall
Auburn University, AL. 36849
phone 334-844-4285
e-mail: [email protected]
Governor Riley has been a supporter of divers and we need to keep asking for his help. Please send a copy of what you write to us at Southern Skin Divers Supply. We know that it is difficult and time consuming to write letters and to attend these meetings but it is what has to be done and we appreciate all of those that have contributed.
Thank you,
Steve Phillips
Southern Skin Divers Supply
4515 5th Ave. South
Birmingham, AL. 35222
205-595-3052
http://www.ssdsupply.com/
[email protected]
November 7, 2005
Much has been happening concerning Alabama's dive law. The Alabama Historical Commission is proposing new regulations that will control where and how divers can dive in Alabama. Two meetings have been set up to allow divers to comment on proposed regulations. One meeting is this Thursday November 10th at 5:30 in Selma and the other is the following week in Mobile. This is the only opportunity that divers, collectors and gold prospectors will have to express their wishes. We have had no input up to this time and we need to show up in Selma and Mobile. To get this far along has been a struggle since 1999 when the current regulations were written. Selma is not a diving town. They have no dive store and don't teach scuba diving there. Selma is not where the meeting should have been held. It should have been Birmingham. The Birmingham area has one-third of the state's population yet we have been excluded from having the public meetings here or anywhere in North Alabama.
In Selma and Mobile we will have much opposition from people who do not dive and do not understand what we are about. We need all dive stores to contact their divers and ask them to attend this meeting. I think we can work out acceptable regulations if we have a good turn out at the meetings. This war in Alabama has dragged on for many years and both sides have been bruised and bloodied. I want the fighting to end and I'm sure the staff and directors of the Historical Commission want the pain to end. Remember that the original law was passed to control salvage of historical shipwrecks. I think we can get the new regulations to do what the legislators wanted the law to do. Here is a link to the proposed new regulations from the AHC.
http://www.ssdsupply.com/aucraP/Proposedregulationamendment_.pdf
The suggested regulations can work but need a couple sentences added to clarify the definition of Cultural Resources. I suggest that we add the following: Isolated finds that are not listed on or determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places are not covered by the definition of cultural resources in the law. Recreational gold prospectors are not affected by these regulations unless the gold dust that they might find is a part of or associated with a cultural resource.
Many divers, collectors and historians have worked very hard to get back our freedoms to dive and find relics in Alabama. Now we need all of us to take part and not just watch what happens. Everyone also needs to write a letter or email to Elizabeth Brown at the AHC and send copies to all of the directors of the AHC. Also send a letter to Governor Riley.
Here is there contact information:
Elizabeth Brown
468 South Perry Street
Montgomery, AL. 36130-0900
[email protected]
1. Mrs. Janice Hawkins (res.) 110 McKinley Dr Troy, AL. 36081
office Troy State University 110 McCartha Hall, Troy, AL. 36082
home phone 334-670-3475 office phone 334-353-5889 or 334-670-3370
e-mail: [email protected]
Chair: 2. Mr. William Drinkard
Drinkard Development, Inc. 1301 Welti Rd SE Cullman, AL. 35055
Drinkard Development PO Box 996 Cullman, AL. 35056-0996
home phone 256-775-0200 office phone 256-738-1815
e-mail: [email protected]
Secretary: 3. Mr. Kippy Tate
State Building Commission
770 Washington Ave Ste. 444
Montgomery, AL. 36130-1150
office phone 334-242-4082
e-mail: [email protected]
Treasurer: 4. Mr. Bobby M. Junkins, Etowah County Probate Judge
PO Box 187
Gadsden, AL. 35902
phone 205-932-4519
e-mail: [email protected]
5. Dr. James "Ike" Adams Jr.
The University of Alabama
Dean, School of Social Work
Tuscaloosa, AL. 35487
phone 205-348-3924
e-mail: [email protected]
6. Honorable Lucy Baxley
Alabama State House, Ste. 725
11 South Union St.
Montgomery, AL. 36130
phone 334-242-7900
e-mail: [email protected]
7. Dr. Edwin Bridges, Alabama Department of Archives and History
PO Box 300100
Montgomery, AL. 36130-0100
Phone 334-242-4435 or 334-242-4441
e-mail: [email protected]
8. Mr. Nicholas Cobbs Jr, Attorney
1110 Main St.
Greensboro, AL. 36744
phone 334-624-4202
9. Honorable Seth Hammett, Speaker of the House of Representatives
PO Box 1776
Andalusia, AL. 36420
or
Room 519-A, 11 South Union Street
Montgomery, AL. 36130
Home phone 334-222-4469
office phone 334-242-7668
e-mail: [email protected]
10. Mr. Barnett Lawley
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
64 N. Union St.
Montgomery, AL. 36104
phone 334-242-3486
e-mail: [email protected]
11. Mr. Danny Cooper
Alabama Association of Realtors
PO Box 4070
Montgomery, AL. 36103-4070
phone 334-262-3808
[email protected]
12. Mr. Guy Spencer
PO Box 45
Huntsville, AL. 35804
[email protected]
13. Mr. Stephen Martin
Alabama Education Association
PO Box 4177
Montgomery, AL. 36103-4177
phone 334-834-9790
e-mail: [email protected]
14. Dr. Geri Moulton
University of South Alabama
307 University Boulevard
Mobile, AL. 36685
phone 251-460-6111
15. Mrs. Vivian Paul
148 S Jackson St.
Grove Hill, AL. 36451
home phone 251-275-3949
office phone 251-275-4131
16. Honorable Bob Riley, Governor
Alabama State Capital
600 Dexter Ave
Montgomery, AL. 36130
17. Mr. Lee Sentell
Alabama Bureau of Tourism and Travel
PO Box 4927
Montgomery, AL. 36104-4927
18. Mr. Steve Sharp
702 Piedmont Lake Rd.
Pine Mountain GA. 31822
home phone 706-663-8776
cell phone 706-289-4714
19. Dr. Craig Sheldon
AUM, Department of Anthropology
7300 University Drive
Montgomery, AL. 36117-3596
home phone 334-567-8942
office phone 334-244-3765
20. Dr. Robert Jakeman
Auburn University History Department
310 Thach Hall
Auburn, AL. 36849
phone 334-844-6634
e-mail: [email protected]
21. Dr. Dan Bennett
Auburn University, Dean, School of Architecture
202 Dudley Hall
Auburn University, AL. 36849
phone 334-844-4285
e-mail: [email protected]
Governor Riley has been a supporter of divers and we need to keep asking for his help. Please send a copy of what you write to us at Southern Skin Divers Supply. We know that it is difficult and time consuming to write letters and to attend these meetings but it is what has to be done and we appreciate all of those that have contributed.
Thank you,
Steve Phillips
Southern Skin Divers Supply
4515 5th Ave. South
Birmingham, AL. 35222
205-595-3052
http://www.ssdsupply.com/
[email protected]
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