PUBLIC NOTICE
ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT (ADEM)

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING FOR
PROPOSED NATIONAL POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (NPDES) PERMIT
AND REQUEST FOR COMMENTS

JEFFERSON COUNTY

Notice is hereby given that the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) will hold a public hearing on Thursday, October 19, 2023, at 6:00 p.m., at the City of Hoover Council Chambers at City Hall located at 100 Municipal Lane, Hoover, AL 35216, concerning the proposed reissuance of NPDES Permit Number ALS000027 to the City of Hoover.  The draft permit regulates storm water discharges from the municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) owned, operated and/or maintained by the City of Hoover to waterbodies located within the corporate boundaries of the City of Hoover. The Permittee’s application (fourth year MS4 Annual Report) for reissuance can be found on ADEM’s FileNet system called eFile (http://app.adem.alabama.gov/eFile/) under the Permittee’s NPDES Permit Number.

Pursuant to applicable regulations, the Department issued public notice of a 30-day public comment period on the Department’s website on June 21, 2023, during which any interested person could submit written comments on the permit application or draft permit.  During this comment period, the Department received sufficient requests to warrant a public hearing. Therefore, the Department is announcing a public hearing, and is extending the public comment period until 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 20, 2023.

The Department has tentatively determined that the proposed actions described in this notice are consistent with the Water Quality Program regulations.

Copies of the draft permit, conditions, limitations and a fact sheet, as applicable, describing the methodology for setting the limitations and conditions and other applicable NPDES forms and related documents are available for public inspection electronically via https://adem.alabama.gov/newsEvents/pubHearings.cnt, the Department’s electronic file system at http://app.adem.alabama.gov/eFile/, and at the following location Monday – Friday (except legal holidays), 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.  A nominal fee for copying and/or mailing may be charged.  Arrangements for copying should be made in advance.

Jeffery W. Kitchens, Chief
ADEM-Water Division
1400 Coliseum Blvd.
[Mailing address: PO Box 301463; Zip 36130-1463]
Montgomery, Alabama 36110-2400
(334) 271-7823
water-permits@adem.alabama.gov

The purpose of the public hearing will be for interested parties to make oral and written comments into the public hearing record.  Those wishing to make oral comments at the public hearing are also encouraged to submit those comments in writing.  All comments must address the conditions of the draft permit; the Department’s adherence to the applicable environmental laws, rules, and regulations in development of the draft permit; or issues that have an impact on the applicant’s ability to meet applicable environmental laws, rules, and regulations to affect the final permit decision.  In order to affect final decisions, comments must offer technically substantial information that is applicable to the draft permit.

Any person wishing to participate in this hearing who needs special accommodations should contact the ADEM Permits and Services Division at (334) 271-7714 at least five working days prior to the hearing.

Attendance at the public hearing is not necessary in order to have comments included in the public hearing record.  Written comments received prior to the close of the public comment period will also be considered and entered into the public hearing record and will be given the same consideration as those provided at the hearing.  Written comments should be submitted to the mailing or email address listed above.  Commenters should identify the appropriate permit number on the first page of their comments.

After consideration of all oral and written comments and consideration of the requirements of the Alabama Water Pollution Control Act, the federal Water Pollution Control Act, and all other applicable regulations, the Department will make a final determination on the draft permit.  The Department will develop a response to comments for the permit, which will be posted to the Department’s website at http://app.adem.alabama.gov/eFile/.  To find the response to comments and final permit determination, you may search by the permit listed in this notice.

The Department maintains a list of interested individuals who are emailed legal notices regarding draft permits.  If you wish to receive such notices, please sign up at http://adem.alabama.gov/default.cnt by entering your email address on the left side of the page and clicking the submit button.

This notice is hereby given on this 11th day of September, 2023 by authorization of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management.

Nondiscrimination Statement:  The Department does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age or disability in the administration of its programs.