Name:	au67 -	Reply
Subject:	Alabama Power Waiver
Date:	1/17/2015 9:44:41 AM

Alabama Power waives permits for lake property owners ‘cleaning up’

Published 10:01am Friday, January 16, 2015

Property owners on the shores of Lake Martin can partner with Alabama Power to improve old piers, boathouses and other structures on the lake in 2015.

“Alabama Power is waiving permit fees to repair or replace decayed or neglected structures that sit on the lake,” said Alabama Power spokesperson Jacki Thacker.

Alabama Power is seeking to preserve lake shorelines not only at Lake Martin, but the other Alabama Power lakes as well. Included in the initiative are Smith Lake, Weiss Lake, Lake Harris, Yates and Thurlow Reservoirs, Lake Logan Martin, Neely Henry Lake, Lay Lake, Lake Mitchell Lake Jordan and Lake Bouldin.

Not only is Alabama Power waiving the permit fees, they are also helping with the disposal.

“Alabama Power will also provide trash removal sites to discard disassembled during the annual Renew Our Rivers cleanups,” Thacker said. “Alabama Power may provide more locations, too.”

Rhett Hanks is heading up the program at Lake Martin, Yates and Thurlow and he can be reached at 256-825-0053.

Officials say that the idea was to eliminate as much of the red tape as possible, making it easier for owners to get projects done.

“We know lake residents take pride in their homes and weekend retreats, and hope these incentives will help make decisions about upgrades or repairs that much easier,” said Bill Edge, shoreline supervisor for Alabama Power in a released statement. “As we increase our focus on aging shoreline structures and those in disrepair, Alabama Power will continue to reach our to lake residents to help them find ways to voluntarily repair or remove structures during 2015.”

For more on this program and the Alabama Power Shoreline Management program, visit www.apcshorelines.com.

Name:	Firefighter -	Reply
Subject:	Alabama Power Waiver
Date:	1/17/2015 4:16:19 PM

If a stream dumps silt into the lake and damages the shoreline Alabama Power says the Environmental Group will not allow anyone to restore the area to it's original condition.

If it is pointed out that other areas of the lake have taken action to correct the shoreline the answer is that they did it so it's OK but no permit will be given.

This is double talk. What do they want when some are allowed to proceed and others are not? 

The answer seems to be - don't ask for a permit.

Name:	Aardvark -	Reply
Subject:	Alabama Power Waiver
Date:	1/19/2015 12:26:58 PM

So does that mean that I am not supposed to haul sand from the areas exposed by the drawdown up to the full pool level?

Name:	John C -	Reply
Subject:	Alabama Power Waiver
Date:	1/20/2015 12:14:24 PM

The way I read it, AP is not saying "do whatever you want." They still ask everyone to abide by the shoreline regulations. they are just doing two things if you are cleaning up an old dock:

1.) not charging the customary $250 permit fee for construction

2.) helping you by providing places to dispose of your construction debris

Doesn't sound like "double talk" to me. It sounds pretty good if you've been putting off cleaning up an old dock or other structure, but haven't wanted to pay a permit fee to do it and had questions about where to dispose of it.  In other words, this is good news.

Name:	Lifer -	Reply
Subject:	Alabama Power Waiver
Date:	1/20/2015 3:37:03 PM

I have always thought there was no fee for permits to repair/replace existing structures. A neighbor last year replaced the decking on his peir without a permit and after they were done APCO sent them a packet in the mail to apply for a retroactive permit.  They were informed there was no fee but you must aquire the permit before repairs even without a footprint change. So it appears to me that APCO is saying they will waive a fee that doesn't exist.  I did not read to the press release to say that fees for new construction are being waived, only repairs.  It is nice of them to offer disposal help though.  I think some clarification is in order.