NC State Legislators Learn That 106 Million Tons Of Coal Ash Waste Might Be Environmental Problem

EDIT

It took a massive coal-ash spill to bring those violations to the attention of the state Environmental Review Commission. “I saw a bunch of legislators who actually never thought that environmental protections were important, and regulations were important, until they saw what happens when you don’t regulate a dangerous substance like coal ash, and I think that they’ll maybe be a little more thoughtful about all this anti-regulatory pushing coming out of the Legislature,” said state Rep. Pricey Harrison, D-Greensboro, a member of the commission. “Finally getting some action on coal ash … is a huge step forward.”

During the meeting, George Everett, Duke’s director of environmental and legislative affairs, apologized for the coal-ash spill that was first detected Feb. 2 and took several days to get fully under control. “I’m sorry this incident occurred. We are accountable for what happened,” Everett said. A 27-acre coal-waste dump at the retired coal-fired power plant in Rockingham County spewed up to 39,000 tons of coal ash into the Dan River, contaminating the river with harmful levels of such contaminants as arsenic and threatening — though not affecting — the drinking water supplies of downstream Virginia cities Danville and South Boston.

In North Carolina, Duke has 106 million tons of coal ash at its 14 plant sites, company officials said. The company manages about 84 million tons in a wet form in ponds, according to Duke. The ponds are either currently receiving ash or no longer receiving ash but are still managing other inflows at the site. A total of 31 coal-ash ponds contain that waste: 13 active ponds, 14 semiactive and four inactive, according to the company and EPA.

Federal prosecutors have started a criminal investigation into the ash spill and possible federal-law violations at other sites, according to subpoenas filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Raleigh.

EDIT

http://www.journalnow.com/news/local/panel-told-of-far-reaching-pollution-of-coal-waste-dumps/article_6d5af6dc-9819-11e3-8846-001a4bcf6878.html