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ADEM

In Alabama, What Does It Take to Shut Down a Surface Mine Operating Without Permits?

Nearby residents and environmental activists complained to state regulators without redress. Alabama officials initially fined the company, but now they’ve signaled a green light ahead.

By Lee Hedgepeth

 The sun sets over an unpermitted surface mining operation in Winston County, Alabama. Credit: Lee Hedgepeth/Inside Climate News
The Ashberry Landfill in Opp, Alabama. “There are mountains of uncovered tires at the facility,” a nearby resident complained in 2019, according to a record of the complaint. “The mosquito issue has been so bad that residents are having to stay indoors more.” Credit: Alabama Department of Environmental Management

An Alabama Landfill Has Repeatedly Violated State Environmental Laws. State Regulators Waited Almost 20 Years to Crack Down

By Lee Hedgepeth

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