Mobile Baykeeper recently submitted comments to the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) regarding the reissuance of the Bayou La Batre wastewater treatment facility (WWTF) permit.
The Bayou La Batre sewage plant is located upstream of two shallow bays - Portersville Bay and Grand Bay in the Mississippi Sound. Both waterways are home to many species of fish, shrimp, oysters, and other marine life. The bays are also extremely important for oyster harvesting. In 2016, Alabama’s oyster farms generated more than $1.9 million in economic activity. The majority of the oyster harvesting in Alabama takes place in Portersville Bay, the same waterway where Bayou La Batre discharges its treated sewage. The existing permit does not protect this fragile environment and oyster harvesting industry. Since Bayou La Batre's permit is in the process of being reissued, ADEM has the perfect opportunity to ensure the protection of our health, our seafood, our waterways, and our way of life!