You Don't Say!! Groundwater Contamination At WY Coal Ash Dumps Far Above Federal Limits
Investigations into multiple Wyoming coal ash ponds operated by the state’s largest utility company revealed groundwater contamination far exceeded federal limits. The results have prompted the company to consider corrective measures and solicit public comments this month. Tests conducted at the Jim Bridger and Naughton power plants in southwestern Wyoming, both owned by PacifiCorp, tested positive for chemicals considered toxic to humans and animals. The company identified high levels of more than half a dozen chemicals — from arsenic and lead to radium and selenium — at the Jim Bridger power plant, according to the company’s investigation.
Power plants can convert coal into electricity by burning the mineral. But in addition to supplying about 27 percent of the nation’s electricity, coal-fired facilities also produce coal combustion residuals, or coal ash, a dusty byproduct chock full of chemicals. Companies must safely dispose of these leftovers, often in dry landfills and or ponds.
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But environmental groups are reticent to take the company at its word, pointing to the irreversible harm groundwater contamination causes to the environment and the public. “Its not at all surprising that they learned their coal ash ponds are leaking and contaminating water sources,” said Connie Wilbert, director of the Sierra Club Wyoming Chapter. “It’s been happening all over the U.S. and causing serious problems. … The (chemicals) seep into the ground. It’s not rocket science.”
Earlier this year, the Environmental Integrity Project, a nonpartisan organization researching pollution, published a report on the 100 million tons of coal ash generated by power plants each year. It ranked the Jim Bridger and Naughton power plants in Wyoming as the third and fourth most contaminated facilities in the country, respectively. Groundwater on the Jim Bridger and Naughton power plants contained lithium and selenium at levels 100 times above what is considered safe. The report also said the groundwater at the Dave Johnston power plant near Glenrock contained high levels of arsenic, boron, cobalt, lead, lithium and sulfate.
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https://www.kpvi.com/news/national_news/groundwater-contamination-too-high-near-wyoming-coal-ash-ponds-company/article_1134235c-060e-531c-ba03-b2c645fd837e.html