ADEM public hearing draws opposition to Integra Water permit to discharge to Flint River

The Alabama Department of Environmental Management held a public hearing on a draft National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit proposed for Integra Water Madison County LLC to discharge treated domestic wastewater from the Integra Water Madison County East water reclamation facility to the Flint River in the Tennessee River Basin. Residents and local speakers urged ADEM to deny the permit or require further study, while ADEM staff said the agency will consider written and oral comments before making a final determination.

The hearing officer, Alexander Chambers, opened the hearing and explained its scope and recordkeeping procedures. Dustin Stokes, chief of the municipal section in ADEM’s water division, said ADEM had made a preliminary determination that the draft permit would not cause violations of state water‑quality standards but that the decision would be reconsidered after ADEM reviewed all comments. "The department has made a preliminary determination that compliance by Integra Water Madison County LLC with the terms and conditions of the proposed draft NPDES permit will not result in violations of applicable state water quality standards designed to protect human health and the environment," Stokes said, while stressing ADEM's…