Proposed dumping of coal ash waste in Allegheny River

[afishinado]

DEP considers new permit to discharge treated industrial waste from coal ash into the Allegheny River >

https://alleghenyvoice.com/things-i-just-heard-about-the-warren-generating-station/?fbclid=IwAR1caJmHFN0t-Y87DUvaY0DDxk0H4D9NiLBUK1XQyBddwH19uaFgyoB_I7Q


Recently published coal ash info from Duke University >

https://nicholas.duke.edu/news/epas-proposed-coal-ash-amendments-will-boost-risk-toxic-contamination?fbclid=IwAR0tYesGBYVwscFlr-xjTJmBE_AnvFEQxwj5iW9_w-wXUPY9-MY4_cMeXQk

Warren County Commissioners contact info > https://warrencopa.com/contact-us/?fbclid=IwAR3Dx654aW7q3fdGYcHlZOzKrsEfi3yW_JKZZF_H73ECLTwjSW19jlZfEe0

State Representative contact info > http://www.reprapp.com/contact?fbclid=IwAR3LOl-uGAow0vwh6gAVN8tA7jADwFuTdNIhzu3sE0JNjrdr2mqHwVYi3DE

 

[tomgamber]

ok, to be clear they aren't dumping ash right into the river. This is waste water with clear limits expressed in the permit as to the volume of solids this waste water may contain. These are generally monitored and tested by independent third parties contracted by the DEP. The permit clearly says all sludge generated will be taken off site for disposal at a permitted facility. This is done in compliance with the clean water act. Or whats left of it anyway.

With that said, I'm not a big fan of dumping anything into our rivers and I am glad there are groups that are on the lookout for situations that could potentially pollute our rivers.

What i'd like to know is the alternative. What happens if they don't do this. When the next big water event occurs near the Allegheny, and no one is working this site, what is the potential for an uncontrolled spill or disaster that does far greater damage than an attempt to mitigate the waste now?

 

[ColdBore]

tomgamber wrote:

ok, to be clear they aren't dumping ash right into the river. This is waste water with clear limits expressed in the permit as to the volume of solids this waste water may contain.

Agreed. That is a click-bait title.

tomgamber wrote:

With that said, I'm not a big fan of dumping anything into our rivers and I am glad there are groups that are on the lookout for situations that could potentially pollute our rivers.

What i'd like to know is the alternative. What happens if they don't do this. When the next big water event occurs near the Allegheny, and no one is working this site, what is the potential for an uncontrolled spill or disaster that does far greater damage than an attempt to mitigate the waste now?

Also agree on both points.

Just saying "No" is sometimes a short sighted approach. I'm not necessarily saying I'm in favor of the current plan, as I'd need to see more than one biased article, but I'd also like to know what happens if we *don't* do it.

 

[RLeep2]

I would hope when DEP looks at this permit application, they factor in the compliance histories and current status of other significant discharge sources in that section of the river. I mean, it's a pretty good size river, but still... All within a 15 so mile section, you currently have the city of Warren and whatever they discharge, United Refining who has a somewhat variable and spotty compliance history and National Forge at Irvine on the lower Brokenstraw, again with a history of discharge issues. This new proposed stream of coal ash water may be one more insult than what we should expect the river to be able to handle.

I'm not saying that this new discharge should be categorically disallowed. There is a lot we/I don't know about the proposal at this point. I just hope when the regulators look at this, they take a hard look at the impact of aggregated discharges and the compliance history of the dischargers.