By Alabama Public Radio
Montgomery, AL – The Alabama Court of Civil Appeals has ruled the state's environmental agency can keep its current water-quality rules. The appeals court said the Alabama Department of Environmental Management's water quality "anti-degradation policy" adheres to federal regulations. Those regulations require states to avoid water pollution or keep it to a minimum. The decision reverses an earlier ruling from the Montgomery County Circuit Court. An environmental advocacy group had sued, saying ADEM's policy is too lenient and arbitrary. The standards cover about 75 thousand miles of rivers and streams.