The Alabama Department of Transportation is conducting the study with the Federal Highway Administration on behalf of the City of Fort Payne. ALDOT’s project information identifies the study area as Fort Payne in DeKalb County.

What the study covers

The project is described in Alabama’s Statewide Transportation Improvement Program as a feasibility study for a possible realignment of SR-35. The listed corridor length is approximately two miles.

At this stage, the work is examining whether a future realignment could be feasible. The approved project information does not identify a preferred alignment, and it does not provide a construction schedule.

That distinction matters for people who use or operate along the current route. The study could shape future decisions about traffic movement, property access and right-of-way planning, but it does not mean that a road relocation has been approved or that immediate lane closures are planned.

Public comments and project funding

Public comments on the study were due Friday, June 12, 2026. The project event is dated June 12, 2026, the same date listed as the comment deadline.

The statewide transportation program lists an estimated total project cost of $1.25 million for the study and program entry. That amount includes $1 million in federal funds and $250,000 in other funds.

The listed cost is for the feasibility study and related program entry, not a confirmed construction budget. The documents supplied for this report do not establish that construction has been approved.

What happens next

The next known step is the study itself: ALDOT and FHWA will evaluate the area surrounding Fort Payne on behalf of the city. The approved sources do not identify a final route, a decision date or a timetable for construction.

For now, the project represents planning for a possible future transportation corridor rather than a finalized road project. Any later alignment, right-of-way action or construction decision would need to be identified through subsequent project steps.

What ADEM says happened at the Crossville pellet mill

In its “Proposed Consent Order,” ADEM identifies CM Biomass as the owner/operator and ties the alleged compliance issue to the drying system covered by Air Permit No. X016. ADEM says the violations consisted of exceeding particulate matter emission standards set by that permit.

Because this is a proposed consent order, it is not a final finding after a completed enforcement process. Residents should read it as ADEM’s stated allegations and proposed remedy—subject to ADEM’s next steps after the comment period.

What ADEM is seeking: a proposed civil penalty and the public comment process

The proposed order includes a proposed $40,000 civil penalty. ADEM also describes how the public can participate: interested persons may submit written comments, including a request for a hearing, within 30 days of the publication date of the notice. ADEM further states that the comment period ends at the close of business 30 days from the publication date.

For Fort Payne-area residents, the practical takeaway is that this is a local air-quality enforcement matter tied to a specific permit and a specific equipment area—the drying system—so the filing is a chance to raise concerns or submit information during the window.

Where Fort Payne-area residents can view the filing

ADEM maintains a DeKalb County public notices page that lists the CM Biomass entry as an “Administrative Order — July 01, 2026” with the description “Proposed Consent Order.” From that listing, residents can find the full proposed order document.

Fort Payne is located in DeKalb County, according to an Alabama DOT fact sheet, helping explain why a DeKalb County air enforcement notice can matter to the wider region.

Quick explainer: proposed consent orders and compliance-status databases

A consent order is an enforcement tool that—once finalized—can formalize required actions or penalties. But while ADEM is still proposing terms, the case is not settled.

Separately, ADEM’s enforcement and compliance information warns that public compliance lookups and dashboards can be misleading. ADEM notes, for example, that compliance status summaries can remain “out of compliance” in public tools even after a case is resolved—depending on how agencies define formal enforcement actions and the timing of updates. The safest approach is to rely on the actual posted agency documents for the most accurate picture of the current stage.

What to watch next

After the 30-day comment window closes, ADEM will have to decide how to proceed with the proposed terms. Fort Payne-area residents can review the proposed order details—especially what ADEM alleges about particulate matter and the Drying System under Air Permit No. X016—to understand what’s at issue while the matter is still in the proposal stage.

Sources

• ADEM proposed consent order (CM Biomass) — DeKalb County / Crossville
• Alabama DOT Fort Payne fact sheet (Fort Payne in DeKalb County)

That matters because ADPH treats sewage backup as an immediate public-health hazard. Its restaurant guidance says all sewage, including mop water and wastewater, must go into a sanitary sewer or approved septic system, not onto the ground or into areas where contamination can spread. ADPH restaurant guidance

What customers should know

The closure appears to have been temporary. The Dunkin store page now shows the Fort Payne location as open, so this looks like a corrected health issue rather than an ongoing shutdown. Dunkin location page

For Fort Payne customers, the practical takeaway is simple: the shop was flagged by state health officials in June, but its current listing shows it operating again.

Sources

• Alabama Department of Public Health — Establishment closings list
• Dunkin location page — Fort Payne, 901 Glenn Boulevard SW