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Report finds widespread contamination at nation's coal ash sites
Health & Science
Report finds widespread contamination at nation’s coal ash sites
By Steven Mufson and Brady Dennis
March 4 at 12:01 AM
The vast majority of ponds and landfills holding coal waste at 250 power plants across the country have leaked toxic chemicals into nearby groundwater, according to an analysis of public monitoring data released Monday by environmental groups.
The report, published jointly by the Environmental Integrity Project and Earthjustice, found that 91 percent of the nation’s coal-fired power plants reported elevated levels of contaminants such as arsenic, lithium, chromium and other pollutants in nearby groundwater.
In many cases, the levels of toxic contaminants that had leaked into groundwater were far higher than the thresholds set by the Environmental Protection Agency, the groups said.
The examples span the country. At a family ranch south of San Antonio, a dozen pollutants have leaked from a nearby coal ash dump, data showed. Groundwater at one Maryland landfill that contains ash from three coal plants was contaminated with eight pollutants. In Pennsylvania, levels of arsenic in the groundwater near a former coal plant were several hundred times the level the EPA considers safe for drinking.
....
Steven Mufson covers energy and other financial matters. Since joining The Washington Post in 1989, he has covered economic policy, China, U.S. diplomacy, energy and the White House. Earlier he worked for The Wall Street Journal in New York, London and Johannesburg. Follow https://twitter.com/StevenMufson
Brady Dennis is a national reporter for The Washington Post, focusing on the environment and public health issues. He previously spent years covering the nation’s economy. Dennis was a finalist for the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for a series of explanatory stories about the global financial crisis. Follow https://twitter.com/brady_dennis
Report finds widespread contamination at nation’s coal ash sites
By Steven Mufson and Brady Dennis
March 4 at 12:01 AM
The vast majority of ponds and landfills holding coal waste at 250 power plants across the country have leaked toxic chemicals into nearby groundwater, according to an analysis of public monitoring data released Monday by environmental groups.
The report, published jointly by the Environmental Integrity Project and Earthjustice, found that 91 percent of the nation’s coal-fired power plants reported elevated levels of contaminants such as arsenic, lithium, chromium and other pollutants in nearby groundwater.
In many cases, the levels of toxic contaminants that had leaked into groundwater were far higher than the thresholds set by the Environmental Protection Agency, the groups said.
The examples span the country. At a family ranch south of San Antonio, a dozen pollutants have leaked from a nearby coal ash dump, data showed. Groundwater at one Maryland landfill that contains ash from three coal plants was contaminated with eight pollutants. In Pennsylvania, levels of arsenic in the groundwater near a former coal plant were several hundred times the level the EPA considers safe for drinking.
....
Steven Mufson covers energy and other financial matters. Since joining The Washington Post in 1989, he has covered economic policy, China, U.S. diplomacy, energy and the White House. Earlier he worked for The Wall Street Journal in New York, London and Johannesburg. Follow https://twitter.com/StevenMufson
Brady Dennis is a national reporter for The Washington Post, focusing on the environment and public health issues. He previously spent years covering the nation’s economy. Dennis was a finalist for the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for a series of explanatory stories about the global financial crisis. Follow https://twitter.com/brady_dennis
First Comprehensive, National Study of Coal Ash Pollution Finds Widespread Groundwater Contamination
March 4, 2019
Power Plant Groundwater Monitoring Data Reveal Unsafe Levels of Toxic Pollutants at 91% of 265 Sites Across U.S., in 39 States Including TX, NC, WY, PA, TN, MD, UT, MI and KY
Download a copy of the report here.
For a map of the coal ash sites, visit: https://earthjustice.org/coalash/map
March 4, 2019
Power Plant Groundwater Monitoring Data Reveal Unsafe Levels of Toxic Pollutants at 91% of 265 Sites Across U.S., in 39 States Including TX, NC, WY, PA, TN, MD, UT, MI and KY
Download a copy of the report here.
For a map of the coal ash sites, visit: https://earthjustice.org/coalash/map
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