Every six years, we have the opportunity to tell ADEM how Tyson Foods' discharge permit impacts Mardis Mill Falls, Graves Creek and the Locust Fork. Join us at the public hearing on the permit to show your support. Let’s fill every seat in the auditorium!
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ADEM-Tyson Public Hearing
Thursday, March 26 at 6:00 pm JB Pennington High School 1 College St, Blountsville, AL 35031-6820 |
Please also send your written comments to ADEM by the March 27 deadline.
MAIL: Daphne Y. Lutz, Chief ADEM-Water Division PO Box 301463 Montgomery, AL 36130 EMAIL: [email protected] |
How to let ADEM hear our voice:
-- Attend the Hearing: Help us show a united front for clean water.
-- Testify at the Hearing: Upon arrival, sign up to speak (3 minutes max, bring any photos in a jump drive)
-- Submit Your Comments: Ensure your voice is heard by emailing or mailing ADEM.
Deadline: Friday, March 27, by 5:00 PM.
Here are some points to include in your email (please write them in your own words):
Last year, Blount County Tourism gathered visitor attendance data at Mardis Mill Falls May 1st to Oct 1st. The results of the survey are impressive:
-- Attend the Hearing: Help us show a united front for clean water.
-- Testify at the Hearing: Upon arrival, sign up to speak (3 minutes max, bring any photos in a jump drive)
-- Submit Your Comments: Ensure your voice is heard by emailing or mailing ADEM.
Deadline: Friday, March 27, by 5:00 PM.
Here are some points to include in your email (please write them in your own words):
Last year, Blount County Tourism gathered visitor attendance data at Mardis Mill Falls May 1st to Oct 1st. The results of the survey are impressive:
- 12,500 visits
- 9,600 visitors
- Visit frequency: 1.3 times
- Average visit time: 88 minutes
- Better End-of-Pipe Limits: The Black Warrior Riverkeeper and myself are demanding tighter limits on pollutants, including nitrogen, phosphorus, and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD).
- Best Available Technology (BAT): I ask that Tyson implements current, top-tier technology to treat wastewater more effectively before it enters local waterways.
- Stormwater Bacteria Limits: BWRK explicitly requests limitations on bacteria in stormwater runoff, not just in the processed wastewater, to address pollution from the entire facility. People visit and swim at the falls the day after it rains!
- History of Violations: BWRK’s request highlights that the permit should account for past violations and, specifically, that the facility was identified as having one of the highest levels of nitrogen pollution among slaughterhouses discharging into impaired streams.
- Additional Concerns: I ask ADEM to re-classify the receiving waters (Graves Creek) for "full body contact" (swimming) rather than just "fish and wildlife," and evaluating the impact of groundwater withdrawals.
💦 Healthy communities depend on how we treat our WATER 💦
Join FLFR Friends Group on Facebook and share photos of your adventures in the Locust Fork River or its tributaries, and at Mardis Mill falls! 📸
Join FLFR Friends Group on Facebook and share photos of your adventures in the Locust Fork River or its tributaries, and at Mardis Mill falls! 📸
