The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today released action plans developed by 22 electric utility facilities with coal ash impoundments, describing the measures the facilities are taking to make their impoundments safer.
There are 584 coal ash dump sites across the country.
The facilities are primarily in the Southeast, owned by Alabama Power Company (NYSE: ALZ), Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), First Energy Generation, Georgia Power (NYSE: SO), Gulf Power (NYSE: GUQ) and Mississippi Power.
The action plans are a response to EPA’s assessment reports on the structural integrity of these impoundments that the agency made public last September.
Coal ash was brought prominently to national attention in 2008 when an impoundment holding disposed ash waste generated by the Tennessee Valley Authority broke open, creating a massive spill in Kingston, TN, that covered millions of cubic yards of land and river and is regarded as one of the worst environmental disasters of its kind in history.
Since May 2009, EPA has been conducting on-site assessments of coal ash impoundments and ponds at electric utilities. EPA provides copies of the structural integrity assessment reports to each facility, and requests the facilities implement the reports’ recommendations and provide their plans for taking action. The action plans released today address recommendations from assessments of 43 impoundments at 22 facilities. Many of these facilities have already begun implementing EPA’s recommendations.
EPA also released assessment reports on the structural integrity of an additional 40 coal ash impoundments at 16 facilities across the country. Most of the 40 impoundments have a rating of “high” or “significant” hazard potential, indicating the potential for harm in the event of impoundment failure. A high hazard potential rating means if an impoundment fails, it can cause loss of human life. A significant hazard potential rating means impoundment failure can cause economic loss, environmental damage, or damage to infrastructure.
EPA said is continuing to review the reports and technical recommendations, and is working with the facilities to ensure that the recommendations are implemented in a timely manner.
In Related News…
A recent New York Times editorial states that the consideration of new coal-ash regulations is a big dispute within the Obama administration. Coal industry lobbyists are pushing hard for the hands-off status quo. Read the editorial a the link below.
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