SUMITON - AL -
More than 200 people came to protest at the possibility of strip mining on the black warrior river Thursday night.
One protestor says, "Makes me feel terrible, that's why I'm here." Concerned and worried that their water will become contaminated. She says, "Our drinking water is at risk."
The new coal mine is being proposed along the Mulberry fork of the Black Warrior river near Dovertown and Cordova, upstream of one of large intakes that provide water for more than 200,000 people in the metro area. That's why these people took their concerns to the Alabama Department of Environmental Management in Sumiton at Bevill state community college.
Nelson Brooke with Black Warrior Riverkeeper says, "We believe that the permit is not only unprotected of the drinking water supply source, the Mulberry fork, but also that this permit would not be adequate to protect the river, aquatic life and other uses."
Chip Crokett with A.D.E.M. says he wanted to listen to the public before he makes a decision on the permit application. We caught up with him before the meeting, we asked him how he was planning to respond to the public, he said "We have state water quality standards that are designed to protect, our state waters and our permitting process is designed to ensure that the state water quality standards are adhered to."
But his response still doesn't sit well with some, as the decision will be made in the near future.
Another protestor says, "This is more than frustrating, I would say it's heartbreaking and criminal."
