By Alabama Public Radio
Mobile, AL – The director of the Alabama state docks says he's cautiously moving forward with a plan to expand container capacity in a project that would require the filling of wetlands and disturbing other fish habitat. Director James Lyons says environmental and other federal approvals could come as early as October. That would allow major work on the two-year construction job to begin early next year. The U-S Army Corps of Engineers has already released the final version of an environmental impact statement. That report outlines the docks' justifications for the project. Lyons says a U-S Fish and Wildlife team was brought in to review the wetlands after some questioned their characterization as of poor quality. The container port expansion is planned for the area near Choctaw Point.