Retirees Take on Alabama Power in New Coal Ash Documentary
- Nov 29, 2025
- 1 min read
PUBLISHER: Alabama Media Group (al.com)
November 27, 2025
By: Margaret Kates | mkates@al.com
In an article published by Alabama Media Group, reporter Margaret Kates highlights “Sallie’s Ashes,” an acclaimed 40-minute documentary following three Baldwin County retirees—Sarah “Sallie” Smith, Diane Thomas, and Savan Wilson—who founded the grassroots Coal Ash Action Group. Dubbed the "Coal Ash Grannies," the trio launched a non-political, fact-driven campaign to demand the removal of Alabama Power’s Plant Barry coal ash pond, arguing that its 22 million cubic yards of toxic waste sit behind a single dirt dike and pose an existential threat to the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta and Mobile Bay. While Alabama Power maintains that their certified closure plans strictly comply with state and federal regulations, the film captures a poignant race against time as Smith tirelessly led the group while battling terminal lung cancer before passing away in 2023 at age 80. Since its debut at the Telluride Film Festival, the short documentary has garnered widespread recognition, earning a Critics Choice nomination and playing to sold-out audiences at its local premiere.
