February 8, 2014
- Peter Harrison, an attorney for the Waterkeeper Alliance who was on the ground in Eden, N.C., and on the Dan River this week
http://coalashchronicles.
New statement from the Waterkeeper Alliance re NCDENR’s latest info
The latest press release from DENR came out late Friday evening when it will get the least attention. This is another shameless attempt by the state to downplay the risks facing the communities along the Dan River downstream. Over the last five days, DENR’s increasingly pathetic response to this situation, the third largest coal ash disaster in the country’s history, is intolerable. I’m astonished that the governor and his agency would underestimate the ability of the people of North Carolina and Virginia to see through this blatant attempt to sweep the damage done by Duke under the rug by saving the worst news for last. Why did it take DENR five days to obtain these results when citizens achieved the same in two days? Was it a mere coincidence that the most alarming numbers were reported last? The opening sentence of DENR’s latest press release is quite telling – if you were in a closet with 34 snakes, would you feel better if you were told only four of them were poisonous? Are we supposed to feel good that there are unsafe levels of only four hazardous toxins—including a carcinogen—in our drinking water supply?- Peter Harrison, an attorney for the Waterkeeper Alliance who was on the ground in Eden, N.C., and on the Dan River this week
http://coalashchronicles.
DENR continues testing of Dan River after coal-ash spill
By Margaret Williams on 02/06/2014 09:44 PM
Press release from the North Carolina
Department of Natural Resources and Environment
State test results of water quality sampling near coal ash spill releasedRALEIGH – State test results completed Thursday for a number of water quality parameters, including 17 metals, show no violations of state water quality standards for most samples taken Monday and Tuesday near the site of the coal ash spill in Eden. Test results for the remaining parameters will be released as soon as they are available.
One metal, copper, was above the state action level surface water standard both Monday and Tuesday. Because copper is a naturally occurring element in North Carolina waters, action level exceedances are used to trigger further investigation. While levels of copper decreased significantly on Tuesday, the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources will continue to monitor copper and the other elements.
North Carolina has established its federally approved water quality standards based on scientific data designed to protect human health and the aquatic environment.
“The Dan River does not have a clean bill of health,” said Tom Reeder, director of the N.C. Division of Water Resources. “We continue to monitor the situation and are especially concerned about the deposition of coal ash residuals in the sediments underlying the Dan River and how that could affect the long-term health of the river.”
DENR is still waiting on metals analysis to be completed for boron, titanium, vanadium, iron, cobalt, beryllium, aluminum, selenium, lithium, manganese and strontium. A monitoring plan to characterize coal ash in the river bed and along the river banks is in development and will be implemented in the coming days, as well.
This week, DENR has been conducting water quality sampling upstream and downstream of the site of the coal ash spill at the Dan River Steam Station in Eden. The agency will continue conducting water quality sampling and evaluation in the Dan River for as long as necessary.
Tests for all of the water quality parameters are not complete. State officials will release the remaining results as soon as they are available. In total, DENR’s state laboratory has been analyzing water samples from the Dan River for sulfates, nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), total suspended solids and 28 metals.
DENR staff created a web page where they will publicize the water sampling results. Visit this page to find the most recent water quality results at: http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/
Dan River Coal Ash Spill
The Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources is working with Duke Energy to monitor and contain a spill of coal ash that began Feb. 2 from a stormwater pipe into the Dan River in Eden.TImeline of Events
Flickr photo set
Feb. 7 Update - Water Sampling Test Results
Feb. 7 Lab Test Results
Field sheets & Certified Lab Reports for samples collected Feb. 3:Field sheets & Certified Lab Reports for samples collected Feb. 4:
NPDES Permit for Dan River Facility
Facilities that discharge wastewater to streams, lakes and other state waters are regulated through National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System – or NPDES – permits. The permits include federal and state regulatory requirements for the protection of human health and aquatic life. In North Carolina, electrical generating facilities that have coal ash ponds are also required to monitor groundwater in accordance with the state's regulatory program.What is in coal ash and the wastewater discharge?
During the last five years the following parameters have been monitored by the Dan River facility in association with their federal discharge permit: Arsenic, Selenium, Copper, Iron, Sulfate, temperature, pH, Total Suspended Solids, oil and grease and nutrients including nitrogen and phosphorus. They have also been required to perform Whole Effluent Toxicity testing – a test that uses the entire waste stream at different concentrations to evaluate its effect on aquatic life.The wastewater is analyzed, in accordance with EPA guidance, for its potential to be noncompliant with state water quality standards. The analysis of data indicates that the concentration of the compounds monitored at the Dan River facility is significantly lower than what is allowed by EPA. The Dan River facility has also consistently passed all quarterly Whole Effluent Toxicity tests.
Ash has a large variety of constituents, it is mostly consists of silicon oxide, iron oxide, and aluminum oxide. But it also has trace amounts of arsenic, selenium, mercury, boron, thallium, cadmium, chlorides, bromine, magnesium, chromium, copper nickel, and other metals.
The ash composition varies widely depending on the coal type and origin, burning regime, air pollution control equipment, etc.
Water Quality Testing
Sampling Sites Map (Updated)The map shows three sampling locations: Draper Landing, just downstream of the spill site; downstream of the spill site at the Virginia line; and upstream at a location on Hwy 14. All of the sampling sites are at bridge crossings. The map also shows locations where DENR conducts regular testing.
Feb. 6 Preliminary Water Test Results / Lab report
State test results completed Thursday for a number of water quality parameters, including 17 metals, show no violations of state water quality standards for most samples taken Monday and Tuesday near the site of the coal ash spill in Eden. Test results for the remaining parameters will be released as soon as they are available.One metal, copper, was above the state action level surface water standard both Monday and Tuesday. Because copper is a naturally occurring element in North Carolina waters, action level exceedances are used to trigger further investigation. While levels of copper decreased significantly on Tuesday, DENR will continue to monitor copper and the other elements.
North Carolina has established its federally approved water quality standards based on scientific data designed to protect human health and the aquatic environment.
DENR is still waiting on metals analysis to be completed for boron, titanium, vanadium, iron, cobalt, beryllium, aluminum, selenium, lithium, manganese and strontium. A monitoring plan to characterize coal ash in the river bed and along the river banks is in development and will be implemented in the coming days.
On-site testingInitial water quality testing performed by DENR staff on site at Duke Energy’s Dan River power plant on Tuesday showed no deviation from normal levels of temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen and conductivity due to the release of water and ash from the facility’s coal ash impoundment. Learn more about these parameters and what they mean, and see the initial test results.
These initial results do NOT mean the water is safe. DENR staff are continuing to sample and test the water. On Tuesday, the first round of water samples were delivered to a lab in Raleigh for further testing for heavy metals, sulfates, nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), and total suspended solids.
Here are the specific metals DENR is testing for:
| Potassium Cadmium Chromium Copper Nickel Lead Zinc Vanadium Silver Aluminum Beryllium Calcium Cobalt Iron | Molybdenum Antimony Tin Thallium Titanium Lithium Magnesium Manganese Sodium Arsenic Selenium Mercury Barium Boron |
DENR Press Releases
Feb. 7, 7:38 p.m. - DENR releases remaining test results from water quality sampling near coal ash spillFeb. 6, 6:59 p.m. - State test results of water quality sampling near coal ash spill released
Feb. 6, 4:41 p.m. - Governor McCrory Directs Duke Energy to Bring Coal Ash Spill Under Control
Feb. 5, 6:23 p.m. - DENR expects water sampling results from river near coal ash spill this week
Feb. 4, 5:53 p.m. - DENR releases initial water test results from Duke Energy coal ash spill
Feb. 4, 9:04 a.m. - DENR Secretary Skvarla heading to Eden, as agency staff members work with Duke Energy to control coal ash spill
Feb. 3., 5:32 p.m. - DENR staff working with utility at site of Dan River spill in Rockingham County
For More Information
Visit DENR's news release page, or follow us on Twitter for the latest updates regarding the spill.DENR's Division of Water Resources has more information about coal ash regulation.
Flickr photo set
EPA website on Dan River spill
Duke Energy website on Dan River spill
http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/
