ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR
AIR PERMIT AND NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (NPDES) PERMIT
AND REQUEST FOR COMMENTS
AND
NOTICE OF JOINT PUBLIC HEARING

MORGAN COUNTY

Notice is hereby given that the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) will hold a Joint Public Hearing on Tuesday, October 18, 2022, at 6:30 p.m., at the Lacey’s Spring School - Gym located at 48 School Road, Lacey’s Spring, AL 35754, concerning the proposed issuance of an air permit and the proposed revocation, reissuance, and modification of a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination (NPDES) Permit to North Alabama Materials, Inc. for an existing dirt mining operation and proposed limestone quarry located at 206 Fields Road, Lacey’s Spring, Alabama, 35754.

North Alabama Materials, Inc., has applied for the issuance of an Air Permit (Permit Number 712-0108-X001) that would authorize the construction and operation of a limestone crushing, screening, and conveying circuit. Emissions would be minimized by wet suppression.  The Department has determined that the equipment/operations proposed by the company should be able to meet State and federal air pollution control requirements.

North Alabama Materials, Inc. has applied for the revocation, reissuance, and modification of a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Permit, NPDES Permit Number AL0083003, which would limit discharges of treated drainage from a wet and dry preparation dirt & chert, sand & gravel, and limestone quarry and associated areas to Unnamed Tributaries to the Tennessee River, classified as Fish and Wildlife in the Tennessee River Basin.  The Department has tentatively determined that the proposed actions described in this notice are consistent with the Water Quality Rules including the Department’s Anti-degradation Rules.

ADEM will be available prior to the public hearing to answer questions and provide details regarding the proposed permits. This public availability session will be held on Tuesday, October 18, 2022, from 4:30 p.m – 6:00 pm in the Lacey’s Spring School – Gym located at 48 School Road, Lacey’s Spring, AL 35754.

The purpose of the public hearing will be for interested parties to make oral and written comments into the public hearing record.  Those wishing to make oral comments at the public hearing are also encouraged to submit those comments in writing.  All comments must address the conditions of the proposed permits; the Department’s adherence to the applicable environmental laws, rules, and regulations in development of the proposed permits; or issues that have an impact on the applicant’s ability to meet applicable environmental laws, rules, and regulations to affect the final permit decision.

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

Copies of the draft permits, conditions, limitations and a fact sheet as applicable describing the methodology for setting the limitations and conditions and other applicable NPDES forms and related documents are available for public inspection electronically via http://adem.alabama.gov/newsEvents/publicNotices.cnt, and at the following location Monday – Friday (except legal holidays), 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.  A nominal fee for copying and/or mailing may be charged.  Arrangements for copying should be made in advance.

Attendance at the public hearing is not necessary to have comments included in the public hearing record.  Persons wishing to comment on the draft permits in writing may do so by submitting their comments by mail or email to the Department’s named contact(s) below no later than 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 19, 2022.  Written comments received prior to the close of the public comment period will also be entered into the public hearing record and will be given the same consideration as those provided at the hearing.  Commenters should identify the appropriate permit number on the first page of their comments.

Ronald W. Gore, Chief
ADEM-Air Division
1400 Coliseum Blvd.
[Mailing address: PO Box 301463; Zip 36130-1463]
Montgomery, Alabama 36110-2400
(334) 271-7861
airmail@adem.alabama.gov

Jeffery W. Kitchens, Chief
ADEM-Water Division
1400 Coliseum Blvd.
[Mailing address: PO Box 301463; Zip 36130-1463]
Montgomery, Alabama 36110-2400
(334) 271-7823
water-permits@adem.alabama.gov

In order to affect final decisions, comments must offer technically substantial information that is applicable to the applications or draft permits.  All comments must address the conditions of the draft permits; the Department’s adherence to the applicable environmental laws, rules, and regulations in development of the draft permits; or issues that have an impact on the applicant’s ability to meet applicable environmental laws, rules, and regulations to affect the final permit decision.

After consideration of all oral and written comments and consideration of the requirements of the Alabama Air Pollution Control Act, the federal Clean Air Act, the Alabama Water Pollution Control Act, the federal Water Pollution Control Act, and all other applicable regulations, the Department will make a final determination.  The Department will develop a response to comments which will be posted to the Department’s website at http://app.adem.alabama.gov/eFile/.  To find the response to comments and final permit determination, you may search by the permit or facility number listed in this notice.

The Department maintains a list of interested individuals who are emailed legal notices regarding proposed permits.  If you wish to receive such notices, please sign up here by entering your email address on the left side of the page and clicking the submit button.

This notice is hereby given on this 9th day of September, 2022 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.