ADEM hearing: Lake Martin group urges tighter controls, more reporting on poultry litter after high E. coli readings

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — At a public hearing Aug. 19, 2025, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) took oral and written comments on proposed updates to state regulations that govern concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), including requirements tied to the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). Matt Campbell, representing Lake Watch of Lake Martin, told the hearing the public needs clearer information and stronger attention to poultry litter disposal and monitoring in the Tallapoosa River watershed.

Campbell, who said Lake Watch has conducted volunteer water-quality monitoring on Lake Martin and its tributaries for 32 years, said the group has documented a recurring pattern of elevated E. coli readings following heavy rains. “We found 3,567” colony-forming units per 100 milliliters at a creek near Highway 49 in a complaint filed…