Comments: Where is the lined landfill that will host the ash from the Dan River? How much will Duke Energy pay the landfill owners (private or municipal) to accept the ash and the liabilities which come with it?
Posted: Monday, March 31, 2014 12:49 pmGoDanRiver Staffgodanriver.com
Equipment is beginning to arrive in Danville for cleaning coal ash out of the Dan River and from concrete basins at the water treatment plant.
During a news conference Monday, Duke Energy spokesperson Jeff Brooks said equipment would begin to be set up at Abreu-Grogan Park on Tuesday that will vacuum-dredge about 2,500 tons of coal ash deposited on the northern bank of the Dan River near the park.
Coal ash will also be cleaned out of the concrete basins at the water treatment plant, where it has been accumulating since the Feb. 2 spill at Duke Energy’s Dan River Steam Station in Eden, N.C.
That equipment — which includes a belt filter press to dewater the ash and tankers to move the material from the basins to the press — is was being set up Monday morning.
Plans are to move the coal ash to a lined landfill, Brooks said — while noting that the company still is awaiting final approval and permits for the project from the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, which the company anticipates getting this week.
During a news conference Monday, Duke Energy spokesperson Jeff Brooks said equipment would begin to be set up at Abreu-Grogan Park on Tuesday that will vacuum-dredge about 2,500 tons of coal ash deposited on the northern bank of the Dan River near the park.
Coal ash will also be cleaned out of the concrete basins at the water treatment plant, where it has been accumulating since the Feb. 2 spill at Duke Energy’s Dan River Steam Station in Eden, N.C.
That equipment — which includes a belt filter press to dewater the ash and tankers to move the material from the basins to the press — is was being set up Monday morning.
Plans are to move the coal ash to a lined landfill, Brooks said — while noting that the company still is awaiting final approval and permits for the project from the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, which the company anticipates getting this week.
1,500 gallons of water from a biosolids storage basin : Spill
By DENICE THIBODEAU dthibodeau@registerbee.com
(434) 791-7985godanriver.com
(434) 791-7985godanriver.com
An estimated 1,500 gallons of water from a biosolids storage basin at the city’s Southside Treatment Plant on Gypsum Road spilled into the Dan River on Monday morning.
Barry Dunkley, director of water and wastewater, said wastewater destined for decantation for biolsolids goes through a partial treatment process at the Northside Treatment Plant before being pumped to the storage basin, where it will sit for six months while the solids settle to the bottom and water rises to the top.
The failure discovered at 7:45 a.m. resulted in water overflowing the top of the storage basin and entering a storm drain, which took it to a stream and into the river.
Dunkley said the discharge was stopped at 9:05 a.m. and the failure is still under investigation.
Normally, after biolsolids have settled, the water that has risen to the top goes back to the Northside Treatment Plant for further treatment before being discharged to the river.
Dunkley said a spill like this has not occurred in Danville in the 16 years he has been here, though small spills have occurred along the water treatment system during bad storms.
The city will likely get a notice of violation, but Dunkley said he doesn’t expect to be fined.
“They assess things on a point system, and we haven’t had very many overflows,” Dunkley said. “This is unusual at the treatment plant.”
Barry Dunkley, director of water and wastewater, said wastewater destined for decantation for biolsolids goes through a partial treatment process at the Northside Treatment Plant before being pumped to the storage basin, where it will sit for six months while the solids settle to the bottom and water rises to the top.
The discharge was the result of a pump controller failure, which Dunkley said is believed to have been caused by a “power glitch,” which not only stopped the pumps but the alarm system as well.
Dunkley said the discharge was stopped at 9:05 a.m. and the failure is still under investigation.
Normally, after biolsolids have settled, the water that has risen to the top goes back to the Northside Treatment Plant for further treatment before being discharged to the river.
Dunkley said a spill like this has not occurred in Danville in the 16 years he has been here, though small spills have occurred along the water treatment system during bad storms.
The city will likely get a notice of violation, but Dunkley said he doesn’t expect to be fined.
“They assess things on a point system, and we haven’t had very many overflows,” Dunkley said. “This is unusual at the treatment plant.”
Thibodeau reports for the Danville Register & Bee.
Moral Monday held in Eden over coal ash
http://www.newsadvance.com/
Posted: Monday, March 31, 2014 8:35 pm
By KATIE MANN Staff writernewsadvance.com
A packed church full of Rockingham County residents, environmentalists and other concerned North Carolinians came together on Monday, March 31, for a Moral Monday gathering in regards to the Duke Energy Dan River Steam Station coal ash spill.
On Feb. 2, 39,000 tons of coal ash leaked into the Dan River due to a crack in a pipe from the Dan River Steam Station owned by Duke Energy.
It started at 6 p.m. but the main speaker did not show up until an hour later, the Rev. William Barber, NAACP president.
Public health was a great concern at the meeting.
Barber gave examples of illnesses the chemicals in coal ash could cause to human health: neurological diseases and cancer.
"We can't allow government and corporations to devalue human life," Barber said.
Coal ash contains toxic chemicals, such as arsenic, lead, boron and mercury, among many others.
Barber and the audience called on Duke Energy to clean up the coal ash ponds and to clean up the Dan River.
"It's time to clean it up, fix it up and stop it," Barber said.
An event that lasted more than two hours brought out citizens from all over the state.
Charlotte resident Cathy Sparrow said she came all the way to Eden to stand behind Rockingham County as a whole.
"You all are paying the price for the rest of us," Sparrow said.
Look to Wednesday's paper for the full story.
On Feb. 2, 39,000 tons of coal ash leaked into the Dan River due to a crack in a pipe from the Dan River Steam Station owned by Duke Energy.
The event took place at the United in Christ Ministries at 211 N. Oakland Ave. in Eden.
Public health was a great concern at the meeting.
Barber gave examples of illnesses the chemicals in coal ash could cause to human health: neurological diseases and cancer.
"We can't allow government and corporations to devalue human life," Barber said.
Coal ash contains toxic chemicals, such as arsenic, lead, boron and mercury, among many others.
Barber and the audience called on Duke Energy to clean up the coal ash ponds and to clean up the Dan River.
"It's time to clean it up, fix it up and stop it," Barber said.
An event that lasted more than two hours brought out citizens from all over the state.
Charlotte resident Cathy Sparrow said she came all the way to Eden to stand behind Rockingham County as a whole.
"You all are paying the price for the rest of us," Sparrow said.
Look to Wednesday's paper for the full story.
