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

The Town of Wedowee
Randolph County

SRF Project No. CS010883-02

The Alabama Department of Environmental Management has made $1,000,000 in financial assistance available to The Town of Wedowee using funds from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) 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 Town of Wedowee proposes a project to provide improvements to its sanitary sewer system.  Proposed improvements will include sludge removal, replacement of effluent pumps, headworks improvements with the installation of mechanical bar screens and the addition of new aeration equipment at the Wedowee Lagoon.  Additionally, system-wide CCTV (closed-circuit television) inspection and smoke testing will be conducted throughout the sewer collection system with point repairs performed as necessary.  Completion of the proposed improvements represent corrective action responses to a recent enforcement action for multiple permit violations.  Moreover, these improvements will provide increased treatment reliability and effluent flow quality to local surface waters, resulting in The Town meeting current and future wastewater flow demands as well as regulatory compliance requirements.

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 Juliette Waid,
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 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 4th day of November, 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.