Coal Ash

EPA Report Shows Catawba River Threatened by Coal Ash Waste

Coal ash from power plants is being accumulated in ponds along the Catawba River. According to the EPA, four of ash ponds that pose the highest hazard are along the Catawba River.

SELC Coal Ash Blueprint

The Southern Environmental Law Center prepared a short report containing recommendations about coal ash, including the elimination of all wet coal ash ponds.

SELC Video Report on Coal Ash

The Southern Environmental Law Center prepared a video briefing about coal ash, which includes photographs of the ash pond failure in Tennessee.

USGS Webpage on radioactive elements in coal and fly ash

 

US EPA Fact Sheet

Coal Combustion Residues (CCR) - Surface Impoundments with High Hazard Potential Ratings Fact Sheet

POWER POLITICS: Pressure builds for better regulation of coal ash dumps

North Carolina Gov. Beverly Perdue (D) has endorsed legislation that would increase oversight of the state's coal ash dumps, the massive surface impoundments that power companies use to store the toxic waste left over after burning coal.

NC governor calls for better regulation of coal ash dumps

North Carolina Gov. Beverly Perdue (D) has endorsed legislation that would increase oversight of the state’s coal ash dumps, the massive surface impoundments that power companies use to store the toxic waste left over after burning coal.

Riverbend Ash Ponds

Excerpt from and Link to article about Riverbend Steam Station Ash Ponds from Carolina Weekly Newspapers.

Riverbend 1

Duke Energy’s Riverbend Steam plant serves as the backdrop to a 41-acre coal ash pond, one of two coal ash ponds the plant uses. Rhiannon Bowman/MIW photos

Riverbend 2

A road and earthen damn separates Riverbend Steam Plant’s two coal ash ponds

Riverbend discharge culvert into Mtn Island Lake

Riverbend discharge culvert into Mtn Island Lake

Coal Ash Disasters

 

Coal Ash Monitoring Well Results in NC

Summary of groundwater standard violations at coal ash monitoring wells in North Carolina.

Coal Ash Monitoring Well Results in NC - Summary

Summary of groundwater standard violations at coal ash monitoring wells in North Carolina.

Report on Groundwater Violations from Coal Ash Ponds in North Carolina

Report summarizing groundwater standard violations from coal ash ponds in North Carolina.

Link to 60 Minutes Report on Coal Ash

Report by CBS news program "60 Minutes" on coal ash.

Coal Ash Video Reports

This page contains links to various video reports on the coal ash problem.

SCE&G Coal Ash Pond on Wateree River Leaking

According to the plaintiff in a lawsuit against SCE&G, the Wateree River is being poisoned by a coal ash pond. Streams of a poisonous, potentially cancer-causing substance recently were found draining to the Wateree River from SCE&G’s coal-fired power plant in lower Richland County. Consultants discovered elevated levels of arsenic seeping from an earthen wall along the power plant’s 80-acre coal ash waste pond, just a few miles upstream from Congaree National Park.

Cleansing the Air at the Expense of Waterways

Over the past few years, coal-plant operators have been installing scrubbers at large coal-fired powerplants to reduce the amount of air pollution. Unfortunately, the pollutants that are "scrubbed" from the air emsissions end up in our water.

October 12, 2009 Press Release from Catawba Riverkeeper

A steady flow of information regarding the safety and security of pollutants from Duke Energy’s four EPA listed “High Hazard Potential” coal ash ponds along the Catawba River continues. Recent articles have explained data that shows heavy metal contamination in groundwater supplies. Catawba Riverkeeper David Merryman exclaims “These ponds threaten more than groundwater. All day, every day- these coal ash ponds are discharging directly into our primary drinking water reservoir!”

White House, EPA at Odds Over Coal-Waste Rules

The Obama administration is engaged in an unusual internal spat as the White House and Environmental Protection Agency tussle over how to handle millions of tons of waste from coal-fired power plants. Utility and environmental groups are watching the coal-ash dispute as an indicator of the administration's pliability on the regulatory front.

Environmental Integrity Project Coal Ash Report

The case for the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to stop sitting on a delayed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) coal-ash site contamination rule is even stronger than it first appeared to be, according to a major new report from the Environmental Integrity Project (EIP) and Earthjustice. The analysis by EIP and Earthjustice identifies 31 additional coal-ash contamination sites in 14 states, which, when added to the 70 in the EPA's justification for the pending rule, brings the total of coal-fired power plant waste storage sites with poisoned water to 101.

Environmental Integrity Report on Coal Ash - Summary

COAL-ASH WASTE CONTAMINATION STUDY: 31 NEW WATER POLLUTION SITES FOUND IN 14 STATES, SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASING PRESSURE ON OMB TO RELEASE DELAYED EPA RULE

Information about Coal Ash at Wateree Station

Excerpt from February 2010 Report on Coal Ash by the Environmental Integrity Project.

Utilities Plans for Coal Ash Pond May Not Be Enough

Are utilities' plans for shoring up hazardous coal ash dams good enough? Excerpt from Online Magazine of the Institute for Southern Studies

Coal Ash Video

Videos about coal ash and products made from coal ash.

SC DHEC Public Notice- Wateree Station Discharge Changes

TOPIC: Wastewater Discharge Permit NOTICE NUMBER/DATE: 10-014-M/February 3, 2010 PERMIT APPLICANT: South Carolina Electric and Gas (SCE&G) FACILITY LOCATION: Discharge to the Wateree River. Facility is SCE&G’s Wateree Power Plant at 142 Wateree Station Road, Eastover (Richland County). SCE&G’s mailing address: SCANA, Corporate Environmental Services, 220 Operation Way, MC C221, Cayce, SC 29033-3701. HEARING TOPIC: Proposal to modify SCE&G’s NPDES Permit (permit: SC0002038) NOTICE PURPOSE: DHEC is seeking input on this proposed decision and invites interested people to a public hearing and/or to provide written comments. Email comments by 5:00pm, March 19, 2010 to Melinda Vickers at vickermg@dhec.sc.gov Please title your email "Note Notice 10-014-M: Wateree NPDES Comments"

Wateree River Sunrise

 

Differences Between Two Possible Coal Ash Waste Regulations

EPA seeks comments on two proposed options for regulations of Coal Ash Wastes: Subtitle C and Subtitle D. This table provides an easy format to view the differences between these two possible regulatory options.

EPA Proposed Coal Ash Regulations

HAZARDOUS AND SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM; IDENTIFICATION AND LISTING OF SPECIAL WASTES; DISPOSAL OF COAL COMBUSTION RESIDUALS FROM ELECTRIC UTILITIES from U.S. EPA. A 563-page document.

Marshall Outfall 001

 

Model Comment Letter on EPA Coal Ash Regulations - Very Short

EPA is considering options for regulating coal ash. The attached file is a very short letter requesting that the EPA adopt regulations that are adequate to protect our water.

Coal Ash Myths

Common misconceptions about coal ash.

Summary of EPA Coal Ash Regulatory Options

EPA is considering two primary options for regulating coal ash. This document summarizes the two options being considered.

Long version of comment letter on EPA Coal Ash Regulations

Long version of model letter commenting on EPA coal ash regulations.

Differences between regulating coal ash under Subtitles C and D of RCRA

This document summarizes seven major differences between the regulation of coal ash under subtitles C and D of RCRA

EPA Presentation on Coal Combustion Residuals

Presentation by Betsy Devlin (EPA) on the regulation of Coal Combustion Residuals at ELI seminar in June 2010. This presentation includes a comparison of regulatory options.

Comment letter on EPA Coal Ash Regulations - One page

One page comment letter on EPA coal ash regulations with emphasis on recreational issues.

Coal ash contamination worse than estimated

The Environmental Integrity Project, EarthJustice, and the Sierra Club released a study in August 2010, titled "Coal Ash Water- Contamination Much Worse Than Previously Estimated, With 39 Additional Toxic Sites Identified in 21 States."

Catawba Riverkeeper- EPA Hearing Comments

Catawba Riverkeeper David Merryman delivered these comments to representatives from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at the September 14, 2010 public hearing in Charlotte, NC.

Riverbend Steam Station Retirement Statement -.pdf

June 2011 statement issued by Duke Energy regarding the planned closing of the Riverbend Steam Station in 2015. File is a .pdf

Senate Bill Kills Coal Ash Cleanup Efforts

Senate bill that cuts EPA efforts to regulate coal ash disposal. This bill is identical to H.R. 2273 that has passed the House of Representatives.

Coal Ash Dumping on the Rise

The Environmental Integrity Project reports that toxic coal ash dumping on the rise in the South.

Aerial Photo of Wateree Steam Station Ash Ponds

Aerial Photo of Wateree Steam Station Ash Ponds - small 240x300 color satellite image

Catawba Riverkeeper Files Lawsuit Against SCE&G

On January 12, 2012, The Southern Environmental Law Center, on behalf of Catawba Riverkeeper, filed a lawsuit against SCE&G to require a cleanup of coal ash ponds with a long history of leakage.

Complaint re SCE&G Coal Ash Ponds

Complaint filed on 1/12/2012 against SCE&G to compel cleanup of coal ash ponds at Eastover, SC coal-fired Wateree Steam Station.

Catawba River One of Top 10 Endangered Places in the South

On January 26, 2012, the Southern Environmental Law Center announced its annual list of the Top 10 Endangered Places in the Solutheastern U.S. The Catawba-Wateree River was back on the list as the 3rd most endangered place in the Southeast because of the threats from coal ash, power plant water use and unnecessary reservoirs.

Twitter Storm on White House and EPA

Examples of Tweets to send to @WhiteHouse and @EPAgov with calls for coal ash regulations in 2012.

Coal Ash Provision Added to Transportation Bill

Republicans in the House of Representatives added a rider to the Transportation Bill that would prevent EPA from protecting us from the dangers of coal ash. Please let your Congressional representative know that you want the EPA to be able to regulate coal ash waste.

Coal Ash Forum - Cancelled by Duke & DENR! (Gaston County Citizen Resource Center, Dallas, NC, from May 03, 2012 07:00 PM to May 03, 2012 09:00 PM)

Forum sponsored by Gaston County Quality of Natural Resources Commission (QNRC) to educate the public and the Commission about the impact of coal ash ponds at the Riverbend Steam Station on the water in Mountain Island Lake, which is the primary source of drinking water for approximately 860,000 people.

Coal Ash Forum Cancelled

Coal Ash Forum Cancelled

Gaston County QNRC Cancels Coal Ash Forum

The Gaston County Quality of Natural Resources Commission (QNRC) cancelled a public forum and information session about the potential threats to drinking water from coal ash, which had been scheduled for May 3. The reasons for cancelling the forum are unclear.