Alabama Power’s Brian Hayes is an unsung hero watching our water
Brian Hayes collects and tests water samples to ensure they comply with permits. (Dennis Washington / Alabama NewsCenter)
Research shows that trees, natural light and outdoor air can positively impact our well-being.
Environmental Specialist Brian Hayes has made it his career.
After a college internship with the Alabama Power Environmental Affairs department, he knew where he wanted to work. Growing up in Gadsden, he didn’t have to travel far to attend Jacksonville State University. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biology.
Hayes’ work centers around collecting water quality samples from fossil, nuclear and hydro plants to certify compliance with water discharge permits issued by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management.
“Our team developed very strict protocols and earned an internationally recognized accreditation for our field sampling methods,” said Hayes. “We were the first utility company in the U.S. to achieve this goal.”
Brian Hayes is an Alabama Power Unsung Hero from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.
His other responsibilities include fish sampling at waterways alongside nuclear facilities in Alabama and Georgia and working with the in-house biology group on threatened and endangered species evaluations and bald eagle surveys.
The bald eagle survey is a nationwide effort during the first two weeks of January. Crews survey rivers and lakes for the eagles and submit their observations to the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. For over 30 years, the company has been coordinating with state and federal agencies to conduct the survey annually on rivers and company reservoirs.
Hayes is the National Pollution Discharge Elimination Systems technical manager, where he ensures the techniques the company uses for sample collection adhere to accreditation standards.
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“Brian has been a hero numerous times in Environmental Affairs, whether it was the time he rescued the injured bald eagle at Neely Henry Dam and turned it over to the Raptor Center in Auburn or when he addressed a public safety issue in the Weiss tailrace,” said Environmental Affairs Team Leader Nick Pitts. “Brian never hesitates to take action and raises the bar for employee dedication.“
Hayes also works to maintain monitors for dissolved oxygen in the tailrace of the company’s hydro dams to ensure the discharged water meets state water quality standards. This effort requires Hayes to be frequently on call on weekends from April to November.
Hayes’ work is important to him because he enjoys the interaction with plant employees and being a resource to ensure environmental compliance.
