ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

FOR PROPOSED REVISIONS
TO THE
ALABAMA STATE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

Public Notice – 350

Notice is hereby given that the Alabama Department of Environmental Management of the State of Alabama is providing the opportunity for interested persons to comment on proposed revisions to the Alabama State Implementation Plan (SIP).  Interested parties may request that a public hearing be held. 

If a hearing is held, the hearing will be held on January 21, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. in the Main Hearing Room, at the ADEM – Central Office location at 1400 Coliseum Blvd. in Montgomery.

Those requesting a hearing should call (334) 271-7909.  The deadline to submit a request for a hearing is 5:00 p.m. on January 19, 2021. If no hearing is to be held, a Notice of Cancellation of the hearing will be posted on January 20, 2021, on the Department's website located at www.adem.alabama.gov/newsEvents/PubHearings.cnt.  Interested persons may also call (334) 271-7909 to determine if a public hearing will be held.

The proposed revisions to the Alabama SIP concerns an update to the initial 10 year maintenance plan for the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for the Birmingham Area as required by Section 175 of the Clean Air Act.  The Birmingham area, located in central Alabama, is geographically comprised of two full counties, Jefferson and Shelby, and one partial county, Walker.  On November 13, 2009, the United Sates Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designated Birmingham as nonattainment for the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS.  Based on monitoring data from 2007-2009 showing compliance with the standard of 35 µg/m3, ADEM submitted a redesignation request, and maintenance plan to EPA requesting that the Birmingham area be redesignated to attainment. As a result, on January 25, 2013, the Birmingham area was redesignated to attainment/maintenance for the 2006 24-hour PM2.5 NAAQS.  Under section 175A(b), 8 years after the redesignation of an area to attainment, and after the submittal of the initial 10 year maintenance plan, states are required to submit an additional revision to their SIPs which provide a plan for maintaining the NAAQS for 10 years after the expiration of the initial 10 year maintenance plan.  These revisions to the Alabama SIP are intended to satisfy that requirement.

Copies of the proposed revisions are available at a cost of 30 cents per page at each of the office locations listed below.  The summary of reasons supporting the revisions are available free of charge.  Copies of the proposed revisions and appendices, and the summary of reasons, can also be found on the Internet at adem.alabama.gov/newsEvents/PubHearings.cnt at no cost.

ADEM, Office of General Counsel
Attn: Christie Lacey
1400 Coliseum Boulevard
(P. O. Box 301463, Zip code 36130-1463)
Montgomery, AL  36110-2059
(334) 260-4510

ADEM, Birmingham Field Office
Attn: Mary Taylor
110 Vulcan Road
Birmingham, AL  35209-4702
(205) 942-6168

ADEM, Decatur Field Office
Attn: Jan Childers
2715 Sandlin Road, SW
Decatur, AL  35603-1333
(256) 353-1713

ADEM, Mobile Field Office
Attn: Jenika Monroe
2204 Perimeter Road
Mobile, AL  36615-1131
(251) 450-3400

Southeast Alabama Regional Planning Development Commission
462 North Oates, 4th Floor
Dothan, AL  36303

Alabama - Tombigbee Rivers Planning Development Commission
Courthouse Annex
107 Broad Street
Camden, AL  36726

The public hearing is being held to receive data, views, and arguments from interested persons regarding the proposed revisions.  Attendance at the hearing is not necessary to present such data, views, arguments, or comments as the same may be submitted in writing, but must be received by Ronald W. Gore prior to 5:00 p.m. on January 21, 2021.

Written submissions and other inquiries should be directed to: Mr. Ronald W. Gore, Chief, Air Division, Alabama Department of Environmental Management, P.O. Box 301463, Montgomery, AL 36130-1463 (street address: 1400 Coliseum Boulevard, Montgomery, AL 36110-2059) or by e-mail at rwg@adem.alabama.gov.

Any person wishing to participate in this hearing who needs special accommodations should contact the Department’s Permits and Services Division at (334) 271-7714 at least five working days prior to the hearing.

This notice is hereby given this December 20, 2020, by authorization of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management.

_____________________
Lance R. LeFleur
Director

Nondiscrimination Statement: The Department does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, or disability in the administration of its programs.