Alabama Environmental Management Commission Punts.

As reported in the Birmingham News:

The Alabama Environmental Management Commission this morning told an administrative law judge to conduct further hearings on a water discharge permit for the proposed 1,773-acre Shepherd Bend coal strip mine.

The mine is near a major Birmingham Water Works intake on the Mulberry Fork of the Black Warrior River.

Black Warrior Riverkeeper Inc. had appealed the Alabama Department of Environmental Management's decision to grant the permit, arguing the operation would harm water quality.

The commission oversees ADEM.

Black Warrior River group loses battle to stop coal mine near Birmingham water supply intake

Riverkeepers lack standing to pursue their appeal.

The mining company must get the water discharge permit from ADEM and a mining permit from the mining commission. Until the Alabama Surface Mining Commission "completes its obligations during the course of its portion of the permitting process, the petitioner (Riverkeeper) lacks standing to pursue this appeal," the judge said in her recommendation.





ADEM

Alabama Department of Environmental Management

NPDES Discharge Permit

Alabama Coal Mines