Birmingham, Ala (WIAT) Environmental groups say they'll continue to fight plans for a coal mine at Shepherd Bend in Walker County. They claim Birmingham's drinking water supply is at stake.
The Black Warrior Riverkeeper Association says it will appeal if the Environmental Management Commission agrees with a hearing officer to OK a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) wastewater discharge permit granted to the mine by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management. That hearing is scheduled for August 19.
Black Warrior Riverkeeper Nelson Brooke adds, “It is a shame that the Hearing Officer failed to understand that this coal mine permit is weak and will allow unacceptable levels of pollution to harm the river and drinking water for people in the greater Birmingham area. We will continue to fight this permit until justice is served.”
The mine site is located on a bend of the Mulberry Fork approximately 800 feet across the river and upstream of a Birmingham Water Works drinking water intake on the Mulberry Fork of the Black Warrior River.
The University of Alabama owns a large tract of land that would be covered by the contested permit.
Black Warrior Riverkeeper’s Executive Director, Charles Scribner states “No matter what, we remain hopeful that the UA System, a majority land owner at Shepherd Bend, will not lease their land for mining so close to a major Birmingham drinking water intake.”
