I saw a documentary film last night at the Fairhope Public Library that terrified and inspired me at the same time. Sallie’s Ashes is the story of how the late Sallie Smith and two of her friends set off on a late-in-life crusade to try and force Alabama Power and the Environmental Protection Agency to remove and recycle 21 million tons of toxic coal ash that is sitting in an unlined retention pond on the bank of the Mobile River, only 25 miles upstream of our beloved Mobile Bay. 

A single dirt dike is the only thing holding the toxic stew from surging into the delta, then flowing down the Mobile River, and into the bay, polluting the water for years and years to come. Sallie says in the film, ”When I see something that’s a problem, it tends to call my name… and once it’s done that, I need to see it through.”  

Sallie had been diagnosed with terminal cancer, and with only months to live, she chose to make this fight her legacy. She called herself the instigator and recruited Diane Thomas as the researcher and Savan Wilson as the Techie. Together, these grandmothers started the Coal Ash Action Group, a grassroots campaign for environmental justice. Savan and Diane were both in attendance at the screening. They spoke eloquently about the need to educate the community about the danger of a potential coal ash spill that will pollute our waterways with 20 times the volume of the BP oil spill.  Savan says,” We are the Golden Girls, meet Erin Brockovich.”

It is incredible what they have accomplished so far, but the film's wide release is a game-changer. It premiered at the Telluride Film Festival and has been shown at the Hamptons International Film Festival, the Hawaii International Film Festival, the New Orleans Film Festival, and, most recently, the Fairhope Film Festival. 

Savan says it all started when Fairhope journalist Cory Yonge interviewed the group for a piece she did for Alabama Public Radio. Producers and filmmakers, Brennan Robideaux, Daniel Junge and Allison Bohl DeHart, heard the broadcast and contacted Sallie, asking to make the film, knowing this was a good story that must be told. The footage of Sallie speaking about her impending death and the joy she was feeling in accomplishing something so important in her last months was poignant and incredibly inspiring. The next showing of Sallie’s Ashes will be held on January 29, 2026, at 6:00 at the Spanish Fort Community Center. 

The Coal Ash Action Group has partnered with Mobile Baykeeper to keep the pressure on Alabama Power to do the right thing. They are encouraging citizens to take action and make their voices heard by contacting Alabama Power directly or by writing to local legislators. They make it easy for us because, when you visit the website movetheash.com, they provide a call-to-action button that sends a letter with your name to our lawmakers and the power company. Of course, I went home immediately and sent a letter, fired up to make a difference, just like Sallie did. 

At this point, Alabama Power has agreed to ‘cap in place’, meaning they will put a cover on the coal ash pond. Still, according to environmentalists, because the pond isn't lined, the toxic elements of arsenic, mercury, and other heavy metals that cause cancer, heart damage, neurological disorders, and other serious health problems are still seeping into the groundwater. 

Because of this ticking time bomb, Alabama Power is being asked for complete removal, recycling, and closure of the coal ash pond at the Barry Steam Plant. Protecting our waters isn’t just about ecology—it’s about preserving culture, history, and the way of life that defines coastal Alabama.  Future generations deserve clean water to enjoy all the things the Scenic 98 Coastal community knows and loves: swimming, fishing, and raising families along the shores of Mobile Bay.

‍Sallie’s Ashes’ central theme was the clock ticking and time passing for Sallie to accomplish her goal before she passed away, and the urgency to stop the spill of toxic coal ash into our waterways. The congruence of these events was clearly punctuated in a very well-made 40-minute documentary. I encourage you to see it; many future local showings will be listed on the website. Once you see it, I know you will be motivated to try to help prevent an impending disaster.