Good News: Our voices were heard!
ADEM commits positive changes to Tyson's Permit renewal.
May 2020
True to its word and following its rules, ADEM sent an email or a packet to each of us who wrote or emailed them regarding the renewal of the Tyson permit No AL0001449. The correspondence you received is your ‘thank you’ letter from ADEM. FLFR also wants to thank you for your participation and your outpouring of concern for the water quality of the Locust Fork River. It is largely because of your action and staunch support we won several victories which are embodied in the new permit. Together with our broader community including the Blount County Commission and the Blount Countian, over the course of 6 months we sent ADEM at least 138 individual letters, an additional 500 short letters (hand-delivered at the Public Hearing), numerous emails, and petitions with 1,000 additional names. On top of that, 300 people attended the Blountsville Public Hearing in November 2019.
With us at their back, the Black Warrior River Keeper, Alabama Rivers Alliance and the Southern Environmental Law Center did the heavy duty legal/administrative work to ensure there will be no discharge from Tyson directly into the Locust Fork River. Not at King’s Bend, not at all. And the water discharged into Graves Creek has less pollution than before. Tyson has completed upgrades to the wastewater treatment systems and things are better, probably, not state-of-the-art, but better. Our continual monitoring of reports and sharing the results with you will keep us all on our toes.
The remaining permit issue of pollution regards 2 continual years of failing to get the wastewater discharge from the plant balanced enough to pass Toxicity testing. In April 2020, ADEM placed a public notice in the Blount Countian with recommendations of a fine for Tyson ($27,000 for up to 4 years of failed Toxicity testing) and an additional 2 years to solve the problem. The comment period has ended, and again, FLFR wants to thank you for sending ADEM 55 emails and numerous letters addressing the lax fine and length of the problem. You will eventually be receiving another ‘thank you’ from ADEM for your efforts!
All of the above is to say, ADEM and Tyson have been responsive to our concerns. We do not yet have our dream of a Locust Fork classified for ‘whole of body contact’, but we are a step closer. What we have learned is that our voices matter, that the wheels of ADEM administration move slowly and that we are the grease needed to ensure they work on our behalf for clean and swimmable water.
Have a great summer and be safe wherever you go,
Donna Matthews
for Friends of the Locust Fork River
True to its word and following its rules, ADEM sent an email or a packet to each of us who wrote or emailed them regarding the renewal of the Tyson permit No AL0001449. The correspondence you received is your ‘thank you’ letter from ADEM. FLFR also wants to thank you for your participation and your outpouring of concern for the water quality of the Locust Fork River. It is largely because of your action and staunch support we won several victories which are embodied in the new permit. Together with our broader community including the Blount County Commission and the Blount Countian, over the course of 6 months we sent ADEM at least 138 individual letters, an additional 500 short letters (hand-delivered at the Public Hearing), numerous emails, and petitions with 1,000 additional names. On top of that, 300 people attended the Blountsville Public Hearing in November 2019.
With us at their back, the Black Warrior River Keeper, Alabama Rivers Alliance and the Southern Environmental Law Center did the heavy duty legal/administrative work to ensure there will be no discharge from Tyson directly into the Locust Fork River. Not at King’s Bend, not at all. And the water discharged into Graves Creek has less pollution than before. Tyson has completed upgrades to the wastewater treatment systems and things are better, probably, not state-of-the-art, but better. Our continual monitoring of reports and sharing the results with you will keep us all on our toes.
The remaining permit issue of pollution regards 2 continual years of failing to get the wastewater discharge from the plant balanced enough to pass Toxicity testing. In April 2020, ADEM placed a public notice in the Blount Countian with recommendations of a fine for Tyson ($27,000 for up to 4 years of failed Toxicity testing) and an additional 2 years to solve the problem. The comment period has ended, and again, FLFR wants to thank you for sending ADEM 55 emails and numerous letters addressing the lax fine and length of the problem. You will eventually be receiving another ‘thank you’ from ADEM for your efforts!
All of the above is to say, ADEM and Tyson have been responsive to our concerns. We do not yet have our dream of a Locust Fork classified for ‘whole of body contact’, but we are a step closer. What we have learned is that our voices matter, that the wheels of ADEM administration move slowly and that we are the grease needed to ensure they work on our behalf for clean and swimmable water.
Have a great summer and be safe wherever you go,
Donna Matthews
for Friends of the Locust Fork River
On May 8, 2020 Black Warrior Riverkeeper responded to the renewal of ADEM Permit No AL0001449:
Good news regarding Tyson and public outreach. Comment letters by Black Warrior Riverkeeper, SELC, Friends of the Locust Fork River, Alabama Rivers Alliance, and hundreds of citizens about the re-issuance of an NPDES permit for Tyson's Blountsville facility contributed to several beneficial changes to the permit. Improvements include:
- The removal of a controversial proposed discharge location on the Locust Fork at a popular recreation destination,
- A requirement for Tyson to address excess bacteria levels in its stormwater discharges,
- Removal from the permit of an excessively lenient interim permit limit on phosphorus,
- A beneficial reduction of the second interim limit for phosphorus is wastewater, and
- The inclusion of more frequent monitoring requirements for Total Nitrogen and Nitrate+Nitrite.
The ADEM hearing on the Tyson permit on November 19, 2019 was a rousing success. ADEM was definitely paying attention.
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There were more than 300 people at the hearing with standing room only. And more had to wait outside; but ADEM felt their support!
Additionally more than 500 letters were sent to ADEM! Elizabeth G. Dobbins, Ph.D. research scientist from Samford University, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, speaking for herself. She was one of 32 people who spoke in defense of the river. Download the file of the summary of her research on the Effects of a Chicken Processing Plant on Graves Creek |
Background Information on Tyson's plant:
Tyson Blountsville discharges 1.2 MILLION gallons of wastewater every day into Graves Creek. Currently ADEM is renewing the permit regulating this discharge. In our opinion, the regulations do not adequately protect the thousands of people who swim, fish, paddle, practice holy baptism, and generally enjoy the waters of the creek and river. For example, the permit allows higher levels of E. coli bacteria discharge during winter - the big season for canoeing and kayaking on the creek and river. The plant’s storm-water is not limited for bacteria at all. Quite alarming, the storm-water has tested extremely high for bacteria after some rain events, flowing in upstream of Mardis Mill Falls, a statewide-advertised swimming hole. Further, this permit allows Tyson to discharge nitrogen compounds into an impaired stream-way at the 3rd highest rate in the nation.
Samford University scientists Emily Bridge and Elizabeth G. Dobbins, Ph.D have studied the effects of the chicken processing plant on Graves Creek. You can read their research by clicking here.
Click here to see resources and publications
Tyson Blountsville discharges 1.2 MILLION gallons of wastewater every day into Graves Creek. Currently ADEM is renewing the permit regulating this discharge. In our opinion, the regulations do not adequately protect the thousands of people who swim, fish, paddle, practice holy baptism, and generally enjoy the waters of the creek and river. For example, the permit allows higher levels of E. coli bacteria discharge during winter - the big season for canoeing and kayaking on the creek and river. The plant’s storm-water is not limited for bacteria at all. Quite alarming, the storm-water has tested extremely high for bacteria after some rain events, flowing in upstream of Mardis Mill Falls, a statewide-advertised swimming hole. Further, this permit allows Tyson to discharge nitrogen compounds into an impaired stream-way at the 3rd highest rate in the nation.
Samford University scientists Emily Bridge and Elizabeth G. Dobbins, Ph.D have studied the effects of the chicken processing plant on Graves Creek. You can read their research by clicking here.
Click here to see resources and publications
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Tyson uses about 1.2 million gallons of clean water from Blount County aquifers EACH DAY and discharges 1.2 million gallons of POLLUTED water into Graves Creek just above Mardis Mill Falls.
Tyson
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Environmental Integrity Project examined 98 plants over a 2+ year period. Tyson Foods owns the most plants with violations does the most water pollution and is the nation's biggest meat producer with more than $41 billion (Billion with a "B") in annual sales. Tyson should upgrade to the latest and best pollution control technology because Alabama and the Locust Fork River DESERVE the best.
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Our beautiful Locust Fork River is one of Alabama's most valuable assets advertised on national tourist websites.
Choosing between a good economy and clean water is a false choice. In fact, economic development depends on clean water.
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Tyson's recent pollution of the Mulberry Fork killed an estimated 175,000 fish
Massive Fish Kill in Mulberry Fork
Estimated 175,000 fish killed north of Birmingham
Residents sound off about Tyson's Mulberry Fork fish kill
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HOLD YOU BREATH AND CLICK HERE FOR A HEART STOPPING
YOU-TUBE VIDEO ON GRAVES CREEK.
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YES! ALABAMIANS HAVE FULL BODY CONTACT IN THE RIVER
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