Bayou La Batre Residents Debate Wastewater Plant

Alabama Bayou La Batre Residents agree on need for the plant but question where it should be built.

by Steve Alexander

Published: Tue, June 24, 2008 - 8:49 pm CST

The Alabama Department of Enivronmental Management, or ADEM, will look over comments made Tuesday night at a public hearing on a proposed wastewater treatment plant for Bayou La Batre.
ADEM sponsored the hearing to get feedback on whether the agency should issue a permit for construction.
Bayou La Batre Mayor Stan Wright wants to build the plant on land at Railroad Street and Kennedy Road, about a half mile from Portersville Bay.
He and other backers of the plant say its needed to serve new homes and businesses.
At the public hearing, Virginia Bryant said, "Not to issue this permit would prove to be a far greater disaster with farther reaching consequences than any hurricane named Katrina."
Those who want the plant also said the new facility would be built 22 feet above sea level.
But opponents said the new plant would still be prone to storm surges.
Windsor Johnson said, "If they're going to spend $26 million, they ought to build it (the plant) at least 25 feet high to get it out of a storm area. They have land on University Road. That's way better property than where they want to build it."
Opponents have said the Mobile Area Water and Sewer System can a run a trunk line to the region, but Rocky Bosarge said, "I just can't see allowing our sewer system to go out of the site of the city limits. We'd have no control over what people are going to charge."
Supporters of the new plant said the discharge into the water would be much cleaner that what the old plant puts out.
But opponents were still afraid runoff could pollute Portersville Bay and hurt seafood.
Chip Herrington with Mobile Baykeeper said, "Its really the location of the plant that's the big problem. I don't think there is a dispute that we are in a flood plain. I think if there's a lesson of Katrina is that its not a matter of if, it's a matter of when the next storm hits."
State environmental officials will review the comments made at Tuesday night's meeting.
There's no deadline for them to decide on whether or not to issue the permit.

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