Alabama Department of Environmental Management
P.O. Box 301463 (Zip 36130-1463)
1400 Coliseum Boulevard (Zip 36110-2400)
Montgomery, Alabama
(334) 271-7700

CATEGORICAL EXCLUSION FROM ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
ADEM Fund Code 203

City of Florence
Lauderdale County
SRF Project No. FS010168-02

The Alabama Department of Environmental Management has made $15,000,000 in financial assistance available to City of Florence using funds from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) loan program. In accordance with State and Federal regulations that govern the program, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management has conducted a review to assess the potential impacts upon the environment that may result from implementation of this project.

The City of Florence proposes a long-range project to upgrade the existing water treatment plants and distribution system. The project will be completed in four phases and consist of replacing aerator, flocculator drives, lime feeder, upgrading the effluent troughs and installing continuous sludge removal equipment at Wilson Lake Water Treatment Plant; improving intake, rapid mixing and settling basins, install static screens, replacing raw water pumps, media, underdrains and lime feeder, upgrade treatment building, upgrade flocculators, upgrading filter pipe gallery and installing a generator at Cypress Creek Water Treatment Plant; replace and upgrade water lines throughout the distribution system; replace and upgrade booster pump stations; abandon, replace and construct water storage tanks throughout the distribution system. Completion of this proposed project will reduce leaks and unaccounted for water loss, resolve pressure issues, provide redundancy in the distribution system and increase the City of Florence ability to meet current and future demands of the water system.   

The Alabama Department of Environmental Management has determined that the project qualifies for a Categorical Exclusion (CE) from further environmental study under the guidelines specified by the State Environmental Review Process (SERP) which specifically include actions which are solely directed toward minor rehabilitation of existing facilities, functional replacement of equipment, or towards the construction of new ancillary facilities adjacent or appurtenant to existing facilities. However, this decision may be reconsidered if significant adverse information concerning the potential environmental impacts of the project is discovered.

Comments relative to this project should be submitted in writing to Mrs. Chavon R. Jones, SRF Section, Permits & Services Division, Alabama Department of Environmental Management, P.O. Box 301463, Montgomery, Alabama 36130-1463, no later than 30 days after the date of this public notice. The Alabama Department of Environmental Management will not take formal action to proceed with the project without carefully evaluating any public comments opposing the project.

Notice is hereby given this 22nd day of December, 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.