The Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) will hold a public hearing on a proposed administrative code change in January. Proposed revisions would update limits on levels of toxins that can be introduced into waterways.
The Environmental Management Commission proposed the changes after hearing from environmental groups across the state.
Mobile Baykeeper’s Cade Kistler said the changes are important for the state to stay up to date on new data.
“What it's going to do is it's going to update our criteria to match the science,” Kistler told 1819 News. “Basically, the more that these chemicals and things have been studied, the more we understand what they can do to our water quality, what they can do to our fish, and what they can do to humans if you're eating those fish.”
Kistler said if the new guidelines pass, ADEM will have stricter guidelines when approving permits for businesses that discharge toxins into waterways.
“To do that, you know, these different facilities are going to have to make sure they keep their discharge, the amount of that chemical they put in our waterway, below a certain amount,” he explained. “So, they'll write the permits for those facilities so that they can make sure our waterways are protected.”
The updated toxic standards would regulate cancer-causing toxins such as arsenic and cyanide.
However, the change is not guaranteed.
“I think it's important for people to understand that they've proposed these rules, but they're certainly not final yet,” he said. “I think there will be pushback from different groups that may not want to have any increased cost, even if it's important to make it safe to eat our fish and use our waterways. And so if there's going to be real protection, if this is going to get finalized, it's going to depend on what happens next and the public showing up to support it.”
The public hearing will be held on Jan. 12, 2016m at 1 p.m. in the Main Hearing Room at ADEM’s central office in Montgomery. Written comments may be submitted at [email protected]. Mobile Baykeeper has also set up an online letter form urging ADEM to update toxic standards.
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