Hearing Will Be Nov. 10; Comment Period Extended to Nov. 17
MONTGOMERY– The public hearing on the draft permit for the closure of the coal combustion residual (CCR, or coal ash) pond at Alabama Power’s Plant Gadsden that was postponed last week due to the after-effects of Hurricane Zeta has been rescheduled for Nov. 10, the Alabama Department of Environmental Management announced.
The rescheduled hearing will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10, in the Beck Conference Center at Gadsden
State Community College, 1001 George Wallace Drive, Gadsden. The hearing had been scheduled for Oct. 29. It was postponed after Hurricane Zeta left widespread power outages and dangerous road conditions in its aftermath.
ADEM is holding the hearing to allow the public to comment on the permit, which will govern plans by
Alabama Power to safely close the coal ash pond and remediate any contaminated groundwater.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, special social distancing requirements will be in place for the
hearing. All attendees will be required to wear masks and will be subject to temperature screening prior
to entering the hearing location. Space inside the hearing room will be restricted, and each speaker will
be assigned a time slot.
Speakers who preregistered should arrive at their assigned time slots.
You can also register on site. However, those who preregistered will be called to speak first.
In addition to rescheduling the public hearing, ADEM has also extended the public comment period for
the permit. The public has until 5 p.m. Nov. 17 to submit written comments to ADEM by mail or email.
For more information about the CCR hearing, including how to submit comments, go online to
https://adem.alabama.gov/moreInfo/ccrinfo.cnt.
Media Release/Jerome Hand/ Office of External Affairs/ADEM
