coal ash

Cross-posted from a Facing South article by Sue Sturgis

When the federal Environmental Protection Agency prepared a cost-benefit analysis for the two coal ash regulatory options it released last year for public comment, it overestimated the benefits of recycling coal ash and underestimated the benefits of safe disposal -- thus hurting the chances for an adequately protective rule.

Cross-posted from a Facing South article by Sue Sturgis

A 5-month-old baby who had been living in on-base housing at Fort Bragg died over the weekend, bringing to 11 the number of infants who have passed away suddenly of unknown causes at the North Carolina military installation since 2007.

The Army Investigation Command and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) are probing the mysterious deaths -- and there are concerns that drywall made from a coal ash byproduct could be a factor.

Cross-posted from an article by Sue Sturgis on Facing South.

Standing out among the more than 250 people who testified at the recent Environmental Protection Agency hearing on proposed coal ash regulations in Charlotte, N.C. was one speaker with an especially distinguished background: Charles Steele Jr. (in photo at right), the first African-American member of the Tuscaloosa City Council and a former Democratic state senator from Alabama who went on to lead the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the legendary civil rights organization whose first president was Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Steele left SCLC last year and now runs a consulting firm in Atlanta.

We need your help to urge the EPA to adopt the strongest possible public health protections from toxic coal ash sludge. Coal ash is less strictly regulated than household garbage. It is a bi-product of burning coal and contains toxins such as mercury and arsenic that can contaminate our groundwater.

Big polluters are lobbying the EPA to enact weaker rules on coal ash, so it’s critical that we show strong public support for common sense action. We need strong enforceable standards, not weak rules that allow polluters to put our communities at risk.

Go here to sign the petition, and don't forget to follow the NC Conservation Network's activities via their Facebook page.

And North Carolina has more than its fair share:

The groups say there are 67 such sites in the country, including at least seven in North Carolina. They say the sites contain dangerous levels of arsenic, lead, mercury and other toxins - pollutants that would have gone up the smokestack but are now filtered out and stored in giant pits or basins.

The Environmental Integrity Project, Earthjustice and the Sierra Club issued their expanded warning Thursday, in advance of a series of public hearings scheduled by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

On Monday, EPA published its proposed coal ash regulations in the Federal Register. If you happen to be going to the beach this weekend here is the link to this light summer reading. Of course you can also check out a brief summary at earthjustice.

For North Carolina and our 17 coal ash sites, it's imperative that the EPA regulate coal ash as a 'special waste'. This stronger regulation will close wet ponds within 5 years, mandate groundwater monitoring and most importantly allow for federal oversight and enforcement. The other weaker option, would only suggest recommendations that would not be enforceable by EPA.

Cross posted from from Facing South

Coal ash isn't just dumped; it's increasingly being recycled into building materials and other uses. But in states like North Carolina, the failure to adequately regulate one so-called "beneficial use" of the toxic-filled waste is putting communities at risk.

COAL ASH
House Bill 2012: Regulate Certain Coal-Ash Structural Fill

Late last night House bill 2012/Senate bill 1419, Regulate Certain Coal-Ash Structural Fill, was filed. Primary sponsors being Representatives Harrison, Luebke, Fisher and Insko, the bill requires the possession of a permit by solid waste disposal sites for the reuse or disposal of certain solid wastes in order to protect both the public health and the environment. Specifically, this legislation would, for the first time, regulate the way in which dry coal ash is handled, dealt with, and stored.

As we all know power plants that burn coal, emit coal ash waste. Coal ash is primarily composed of heavy metals like mercury, selenium, cadmium and arsenic. Exposure to these metals can potentially lead to cancer and nervous system damage.

Today the NC Sierra Club released a report detailing the dangers associated with "beneficial" coal ash. Here's the rundown:

Each year North Carolina dumps 800,000 tons of coal ash into unregulated,unlined structural fills. Coal ash contains toxic metals like, mercury, selenium, cadmium, and arsenic, all of which can cause cancer and serious damage to the nervous system. Even with these risks known, federal oversight is non-existent and state regulations are weak. With over 20 counties in NC hosting these structural fill sites this is a little known problem, that could have serious consequences.

A couple days ago we posted information on a road construction site in North Carolina that used coal ash as a beneficial fill. The report revealed that lead and arsenic levels exceeded federal and state groundwater standards. The video below shows how these toxic contaminates can affect communities when coal ash is used as a beneficial fill.