LILLIAN, Ala. — The more things change, the more they stay the same: Perdido Bay Foundation is a case in point.

Fifteen years ago, the Foundation’s energies were by and large directed at battling what was then Champion International’s paper mill in Cantonment, Fla., the primary source of Perdido Bay’s pollution, according to the Foundation.

Today, 90 percent of the Foundation’s efforts and energies go toward addressing sewerage issues in Lillian. But that doesn’t mean things have changed that much for the grass roots organization that started in 1986 as the Perdido Bay Environmental Association.

According to PBF President Bob Donnenwirth, the mill in Cantonment, now owned by International Paper Co., continues to dump approximately 24 million gallons of effluent a day into Perdido Bay. International is asking for a new permit that would allow the mill to increase its effluent to 40 million gallons a day, Donnenwirth said during a recent interview.

“They are also asking to be relieved of any previous sins. We hope it don’t fly but we don’t know,” he said.

PBF’s history with the Cantonment paper mill is well documented. Beginning around 1994, members of PBF filed a lawsuit against Champion to bring the mill into compliance. Donnenwirth said the injunction they were seeking would have been played out in federal court, probably in Kentucky.

What with the distance involved, “we dropped that,” he said.

A legal strategy involving health issues failed. “They (Champion) could hire more medical experts than we could,” Donnenwirth said.

A case involving loss of recreational use of the water also failed. “Again, you can’t prove it.”

But a case was made over loss of property values. As Donnenwirth explains it, a comparison of property values on Perdido Bay against those on what he called “clean bays” eventually led to a compromise settlement by Champion of $5 million. The money was to be divided among waterfront property owners along Perdido Bay who were part of a class action lawsuit.

In the years since, new mill owner International Paper Co. has proposed other environmental solutions, one of which, Donnenwirth said, would employ a dike system with “aquatic-type” plants used as a filter system for the paper mill’s effluent.

Asked if Perdido Bay is in better shape today than it was 15 to 20 years ago, Donnenwirth said, “In my opinion, slightly. I don’t see quite as much foam as I used to see.”

In that regard, he said the bay is still murky sometimes. Gone are the days when you could “walk” across the bay on shrimp boats during shrimping season. These days it’s one or two shrimp boats that make their way into the bay, Donnenwirth said.

Again, the lion’s share of time and energies that were once directed at the paper mill are today going to sewerage issues. Among the “Lillian issues” which PBF also addresses are legislative monitoring, assistance to Elberta schools for student environmental studies, water sampling and lab testing for bay quality, and renting and operating a Community Information Office on U.S. Highway 98 across from the Lillian Community Club.

PBF also holds town hall meetings regarding developments with Baldwin County Sewer Service and Alabama Utilities Services LLC. PBF has also assisted in legal action for Spanish Cove sewer spills.

“We’re getting into a financial need here,” said Donnenwirth, who has lived in the area for over 30 years.

“We’re here as volunteers; we don’t get paid a cent.”

What Donnenwirth feels bay area residents can ill afford to do is get satisfied, not with the paper mill allegedly continuing to contaminate the bay and sewage spills being “very conspicuous” in the Lillian area.

“I hate to see complacency on the part of the public. We need more public awareness,” Donnenwirth said.

PBF is a not-for-profit, tax exempt, charitable trust whose goal is “to return the quality of Perdido Bay to its original state … .”

Donations range from “Honorable” (any amount) to “Pinfish,” “Trout” and “Dolphin” ($20, $50, $500 respectively) to “Lifetime” ($1,000).