The Virginia side of the spill-- McAuliffe: Duke expected to pony up for coal ash spill

[carolinayellowdog]

This AP story appeared in today's Martinsville newspaper. I have a very close personal connection to this story, have been paddling the Dan River and its tributaries for 24 years, and the stories about Duke and the NC state government have been appalling on a daily basis. It's a relief that our own governor isn't so beholden to Duke Energy to be making secret deals with them. I just hope "No reason not to take them at their word" was said with tongue in cheek.

DANVILLE (AP) — Gov. Terry McAuliffe said Tuesday he expects Duke Energy to fully compensate Virginia for a massive coal ash spill into the Dan River that turned collection basins at Danville’s water treatment plant gray.

McAuliffe spoke after he toured the city’s treatment plant and was assured the drinking water for 18,000 customers was well within safe-drinking standards based on multiple municipal, federal and independent water testing.
“I’m going to have a little glass of water myself,” McAuliffe said at the conclusion of the tour of the plant, which overlooks the Dan River.
Despite questions about Duke’s handling of the Feb. 2 spill, McAuliffe said Duke executives had assured him they would make good on any costs associated with the spill in Virginia. The spill coated 70 miles of the Dan River, which crosses both states, with toxic sludge.
“I have assurances from Duke Energy that they’re going to pay for everything,” McAuliffe said. “I take them at their word. No reason not to.”

[theHandpuppet]

1. I don't like the sound of this...

(another excerpt)

McAuliffe agreed with Paylor’s statement last week that Duke would be held accountable for any remediation as a result of the spill in Virginia.

The state is taking a long-term look at the impact of the spill, testing fish and other marine life, among other work that “is ongoing and continues to be ongoing.” He said a full environmental assessment might not be known for years. Testing on fish, for example, might not reflect certain contaminants for years to come....

[carolinayellowdog]

2. longterm vs. immediate damage

It has been discouraging that there is so much misunderstanding and ignorance around this subject even among those who are sympathetic to environmental issues, e.g. Rachel Maddow. Humans, of course, are anthropocentric and immediately think "how will this affect us?" Fortunately for everyone in Danville, water treatment technology suffices to remove the coal ash from the water supply. Warnings against people getting into the river itself don't mean that the treated water is unsafe, which has been implied in some coverage. On the other hand, if the immediate hazards to human health have been exaggerated, those to other species have been virtually ignored. Macroinvertebrates at the bottom of the food chain have been drowned in toxic sludge, to be eaten by fish... the damage goes up the food chain for years and years and measurement has just started.

I plead guilty to a version of anthropomorphism in response to this catastrophe-- all the talk about "aquatic life" didn't really impact me emotionally until I saw a news story in which Danvillians noted the disappearance of otter and beaver along the river in town, many miles downstream of the spill. Nothing is more delightful to a paddler than an encounter with friendly, curious otters, with their bright eyes and cute faces-- and when I thought of entire families dying in toxic sludge, that's when I broke down in tears. Turtles died immediately as well, and they are ubiquitous on the affected stretch. For those of us in the region involved in environmental protection, this will be with us the rest of our lives and beyond.

But another grievous aspect of longterm damage is to humans in areas unaffected by the spill. I've been aghast at the widespread incomprehension of the distinction between "upsteam" and "downstream." The vast majority of recreational use of the Dan is upstream of the spill site, where the waters are perfectly safe. (At least until another spill.) But even 50 miles upstream, the local economies are likely to be impacted for years by the perception that "the Dan River is polluted." So I hope part of the remediation involves some PR funds for localities to invite people to use the river for recreation, like what BP did with TV ads for the Gulf.

[theHandpuppet]

4. I think if you'd conduct a poll among most Americans...

Last edited Fri Mar 21, 2014, 08:19 PM - Edit history (1)

... they really wouldn't be able to provide much knowledge regarding the waterways of their own area -- e.g., which creeks flow into what rivers, the difference between upstream and downstream, etc. I discovered during the time of the WV spill, for instance, that although many folks understood that the Elk River is a tributary of the Kanawha, they had no idea that the Kanawha actually flows NW into the Ohio. So the impact area of the spill would have been downstream from the spill and in this case this meant the chemicals were actually flowing northwards towards the Ohio River. Many folks mistakenly equate downstream with "southward" and "upstream" as "northward". In any case, this forum provides us with a good opportunity to educate.

My concern with all the recent spills has been the long-term impact of these chemicals upon the environment. The leaching into soils, the absorption of toxins into trees, the poisoning of life at the bottom of the food chain, which will eventually work its way up the ladder to affect all wildlife, including birds and insects. And it hasn't been that long that we've had environmental regulations of any kind. So to imagine just how much crap our Appalachian environment has had to absorb, decade after decade. Little wonder that people living in mining areas have such health problems, even from childhood.

[carolinayellowdog]

3. Waterkeeper update

http://waterkeeper.org/2014/03/20/dan-river-groups-seek-cleanup-of-dukes-coal-ash-pollution/

CHAPEL HILL, N.C.—The Southern Environmental Law Center today filed motions to allow four conservation groups working on the Dan River to participate in the state court enforcement action against Duke Energy for its illegal coal ash pollution of the Dan River and groundwater drinking supplies. SELC filed the motion on behalf of groups that monitor and protect the Dan River– the Dan River Basin Association, the Roanoke River Basin Association, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, and Waterkeeper Alliance. They identified numerous illegal discharges ignored by the state in the aftermath of Duke’s disastrous coal ash spill last month.

[theHandpuppet]

5. UPDATE: NC lawmakers pass coal ash legislation; adjourn very long short session

NC lawmakers pass coal ash legislation; adjourn very long short session
By ANDREW KENNEY
The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.)
August 21, 2014

(excerpt)
...Different versions of the coal ash legislation had passed the House and Senate earlier this summer, but the bill appeared all but dead before a surprising resurrection this week.

The impetus for the legislation came, in part, with widespread public backlash from the Dan River spill. The incident was a dramatic reminder of a simmering issue, highlighting that about 100 million tons of the substance sits in 33 open-air pits at 14 sites in North Carolina.

Speaking before the House Rules Committee, McGrady acknowledged criticism of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources' response to this year's crisis, saying that the final bill won't allow the department to manage the commission that will hold much of the final say over the cleanup process.

"There's ongoing criminal investigations right now," McGrady said, referring to a U.S. Department of Justice probe of the department and its relationship with Duke. "The argument that the Senate made, which we understand, is that at least when we set this thing up, we need to keep it away from things that may have occurred in the past --- let it be set up in a neutral part of government."....

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2014/08/21/3631672/nc-lawmakers-pass-coal-ash-legislation.html#storylink=cpy

[carolinayellowdog]

6. thanks for posting

It might have helped that the most powerful Republican in the legislature is from Rockingham County, but even so for a while there it seemed as if they might adjourn without doing anything. And kudos to the citizens of the region for holding the elected officials' feet to the fire! Not that the legislation is ideal, but it's a start.

[theHandpuppet]

7. I was pleasantly surprised at this news

I'm only surprised the issue hasn't gotten more press -- I had to hunt pretty hard to find this and I do regular searches for developing news on issues of this kind.