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Posts Tagged ‘North Carolina’

Delayed Coal Ash Regulations Put Public Health at Risk

Wednesday, January 18th, 2012 - posted by molly

Appalachian Voices issued the following press release to news outlets in North Carolina. A similar version was released nationally by the eleven environmental and public health groups involved in this litigation.

Delayed Coal Ash Regulations Put Public Health at Risk

Groups head to court to force issuance of important national safeguards

Washington, D.C. – Environmental and public health groups announced their intent to sue the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in federal court to force the release of long awaited public health safeguards against toxic coal ash. The EPA has delayed the first-ever federal protections for coal ash for nearly two years despite more evidence of leaking ponds, poisoned groundwater supplies and threats to public health.

“We have waited long enough for the EPA to act,” says Sandra Diaz, Appalachian Voices’ North Carolina Campaign Coordinator. “In North Carolina, we know for a fact that many coal ash ponds are contaminating groundwater, and we need the EPA to step up and provide strong guidelines to ensure public health and safety.”

This aerial photo of a coal-fired power plant in Asheville, N.C. is provided by the French Broad Riverkeeper.


Earthjustice, on behalf of Appalachian Voices (NC), Chesapeake Climate Action Network (MD), Environmental Integrity Project, French Broad Riverkeeper (NC), Kentuckians For The Commonwealth (KY), Montana Environmental Information center (MT), Physicians for Social Responsibility, Prairie Rivers Network (IL), Sierra Club and Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (TN), sent the EPA a notice of intent to sue the agency under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The law requires the EPA to ensure that safeguards are regularly updated to address threats posed by wastes. However, the EPA has never undertaken any action to ensure safeguards address the known threats posed by coal ash, a toxic mix of arsenic, lead, hexavalent chromium, mercury, selenium, cadmium and other dangerous pollutants that result from burning coal at coal-fired power plants.

More than 5.5 million tons of coal ash is created each year in North Carolina, the ninth highest in the country. There are 26 active ponds in the state, 12 of which have been rated “high-hazard” by the EPA, meaning that if the ponds were to break, it would probably cause a loss of human life. The state has not moved to create state-specific standards on coal ash, though utilities have been required to do additional groundwater monitoring

“As we witness a state legislature intent on weakening the ability of state agencies like the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to do its job, we need the EPA to move forward with strong federally-enforceable guidelines that will protect communities from the dangers of coal ash,” said Pricey Harrison, a state legislator who represents Guilford County.

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The Scoop on Coal Ash at Asheville Plant in North Carolina

Thursday, December 15th, 2011 - posted by sandra

Big Thanks to Hartwell Carson, French Broad Riverkeeper for his help with this post.

Bird’s Eye View of Coal Ash

Bird's Eye View of Asheville's Coal Plant- © Copyright 2011 Roy Tennant, FreeLargePhotos.com

Coal contains heavy metals by its very nature. Heavy metals are toxic and oftentimes, a little dab will do ya. For example, just one teaspoon’s worth of mercury can contaminate a 20 acre lake to the extent that the fish become contaminated enough that they can become unsafe to eat.

When coal is burned for electricity, heavy metals are concentrated in the resultant coal ash (known more technically as “coal combustion waste”). Heavy metals of concern include but are not limited to arsenic, lead, mercury, manganese, and selenium. Each of these heavy metals can have differing negative effects on the body. (more…)

Clean Water Lovers in Wilmington, NC

Monday, November 21st, 2011 - posted by sandra

We recently took the Red, White and Water campaign to the Festival Latino in Wilmington, NC. Festival goers signed photo postcards to their member of Congress Representative Mike McIntyre asking him to stand up for our clean water protections.

Hispanic communities suffer disproportionately from the impacts of coal pollution. 32 coal-fired power plants across the country are in counties that are either more than 25% black or more than 25% Latino, and 9 are in counties that are more than 20% Native American. That means more exposure to mercury pollution from the burning of coal and arsenic pollution from coal ash dams.

So, while all Americans have a huge stake in keeping our waters clean, Latino communities are made to carry a larger pollution burden to bear.

Below are some of the great people we met in Wilmington, luchando por su derecho al agua limpia! (fighting for their right to clean water!)

Connecting Kids to Their Watersheds

Monday, November 7th, 2011 - posted by Erin

Here in Watauga County we are lucky to have relatively clean rivers and a public that is well connected with the health of the local environment. In order to support continued generations of residents who act as good stewards for the High Country and beyond, we must educate students about threats to our local environment and ensure that they feel pride and ownership of the world around them.

The Upper Watauga Riverkeeper has helped with school water-based programs at Hardin Park Middle School and Watauga High School this fall. At Hardin Park, science teacher Alan Felker invited me to speak with each of his 7th grade science classes about the many roles of a Riverkeeper. Our discussion ranged from local river cleanups to litigation against major polluters in Kentucky. I was impressed with the quality of both questions and answers I heard from many of the students. I met up with the students later in the week to assist with Mr. Felker’s aquatics lab on the New River. Students were game to get in the chilly fall water in order to measure water velocity and turbidity, and look for macroinvertebrates used as indicators of biological condition. I hope to see many of these same students for a Watauga cleanup in the spring.

On October 19th, I helped with one of several presentations focusing on marine mammals, climate change, pollution and our connection to those issues here in Watauga County. The North Carolina Museum of Natural Science and the North Carolina Fort Fisher Aquarium, through a grant from NOAA, brought in a geodome presentation that highlighted different marine mammals and threats to them resulting from global warming and plastic pollutants. Lisa Doty, the Watauga County Recycling Coordinator, and I presented a local perspective on recycling and reducing consumption in Watauga County, and the ways our efforts can impact the ocean environment.

I was pleased to find that at least one student in each group knew that plastics are made from fossil fuels, which are non-renewable resources. The students were surprised to learn that Watauga County does not have an operational landfill, so our garbage must be shipped to Lenoir. This means that not only is our waste management more costly, but it also uses more fossil fuel: an average of 8 tractor trailer loads of garbage are sent to Lenoir every day, which costs roughly $1.3 million per year. In contrast, as recycling technology has improved, the demand for recycled plastic has increased: other companies pay Watauga County for recycled plastics and recycling creates 14,000 jobs North Carolina.

We tried to impress upon students some simple every-day things they could do to help curb the influx of waste into our waterways and oceans. Two of the easiest changes that create a large and lasting impact are reducing your use of plastic water bottles and plastic grocery bags. According to the Earth Policy Institute, 1,500 plastic water bottles end up as garbage every second. Additionally, plastic grocery bags are more costly to produce from recycled material than from virgin oil. So when your Watauga High School students turn down that store-bought water in favor of a reusable container or tell you there will be no trip to the store without reusable bags, commend them for doing their part to create a healthier planet!

Duke Energy’s Tough Times, Rate Hike Hearings Continue in Marion

Thursday, October 27th, 2011 - posted by brian

On Tuesday Oct. 25, at the McDowell County courthouse in Marion, the N.C. Utilities Commission heard a succession of voices all proclaiming the same message: Do not approve the 17 percent rate hike proposed by Duke Energy Carolinas. Public hearings for feedback on the rate hike continue this week and Duke Energy’s customers are coming out, demanding to be heard. The commission is also accepting public comments by e-mail. Submit yours here.

The dozens of speakers at the Marion hearing, including local residents, retirees, environmental advocates, members of the faith community, school officials and the mayor of the city, proved further that Duke Energy’s 1.8 million customers in North Carolina come from all walks of life. And though everyone had their own reasons for opposing the rate increase, the reactions heard were unequivocal.

A Marion resident testifies before the NC Utilities Commission

Click on the photo for a video of public testimony against the proposed rate hike.

There could not be a worse time to raise rates.

If the increase is approved, Duke Energy Carolinas claims it can close unproductive plants, invest in renovations on operating facilities such as the controversial Cliffside Power Plant, and pay for several completed projects.

Dr. Richard Fireman was the first invited to speak. His calm testimony retreated from blaming Duke Energy. Instead, he shed light on the larger problems we as a society face.

“All government rights are instituted solely for the good of the whole,” Fireman said, quoting from the constitution of the state of North Carolina. “But corporate power has taken over the halls of government, which is now protecting the business of business.”

Dr. Fireman agrees, as many supporters of the Occupy Wall Street movement have claimed, that campaign finance and the enormous amount of corporate dollars spent in financing campaigns and election efforts pose a risk to the people who should be served by their elected officials.

“In 2010, 115 of the 117 members of the general assembly received over half a million dollars in donations from Duke and Progress Energy in the 2010 elections,” Fireman said. “With power like that we, the people, are desperate for a voice that has our welfare as the foundations of its activity.”

Members and staff of Appalachian Voices were present at the hearing to give testimony opposing the rate hike. North Carolina Campaign Coordinator Sandra Diaz spoke about the illusion that Duke Energy’s utmost concern is their customers.

The N.C. Utilities Commission heard from dozens of speakers opposing Duke Energy's proposed rate hike.

“Duke Energy says their core mission is to provide their customers with affordable, reliable and cleaner energy,” Diaz said. “But if Duke Energy was really concerned about ratepayers, their investment portfolio would look very different. The lack of action on energy efficiency suggests that Duke Energy’s real mission is to maximize profit for their shareholders with little regard for their ratepayers.”

“Luckily, we have the North Carolina utilities commission and the public staff.” Diaz said to those in attendance. “They’re responsible for providing fair regulation of utilities in the interest of the public, promoting least cost energy planning an providing just and reason rates and charges for utility services.”

Mayor Steve Little began his remarks by stating he was present not only to represent himself but everyone of the 8,000 residents of Marion.

“This is far, far, far too much,” Little said to the commission. He mentioned that in a part of North Carolina as economically depressed as McDowell County, people are lucky to still have their jobs.

“I don’t know of anybody who got a raise of 17.4 percent,” he said.

Others appealed to the idea that the rate hike is simply bad business. Katie Baird, a small business owner and environmentalist from Asheville, shared her thoughts with the commission.

“I understand when things are good for people, for customers, for finances and when they’re not and in my opinion Duke Energy demanding that their customers pay for failed investments is bad business,” Baird said. “I would not do that to my customers and I’m asking as a business person and as a customer that Duke Energy to do the same.”

Even after rates increases were approved on South Carolina customers last year and North Carolina customers in 2009, the company calls this a “reasonable request.” In 2010, Duke Energy walked away with record profits of $1.3 billion and its CEO, Jim Rogers earned $6.9 million in dividends.

Before public testimony began, Robin Nicholson, a Duke Energy employee in the Marion and Hickory area, spoke on behalf of her company.

“It is no secret this region has been significantly impacted by the economic downturn,” she said. But she insisted that Duke Energy, which will become the largest utilities provider in the United States if its merger with Raleigh-based Progress Energy is approved, is also facing tough times.

Somehow it just doesn’t seem the same.

Public hearings continue before a final wrap-up hearing in Raleigh on Nov. 28:
· Thursday, Oct. 27: High Point
· Wednesday, Nov 2: Durham

Visit our action page if you can’t attend but would like to submit a comment to the Utilities Commission.

You can read more coverage of the Marion hearing from The McDowell News.

Heath Shuler and Others Who Stood Up Against Dangerous Coal Ash Legislation

Friday, October 14th, 2011 - posted by sandra
Heath Shuler

Congressman Heath Shuler Stood Up for Communities Today

Today, Congressmen Heath Shuler (NC), David Price (NC), Mel Watt (NC), Brad Miller (NC), John Yarmuth (KY), Gerry Connolly (VA) and Frank Wolf (VA) voted against H.R. 2273 , the Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act, a bill that does nothing to protect our communities from the dangers of toxic coal ash.

Though we are disappointed that H.R. 2273 did achieve passage on the floor of the House today by a 267 to 144 vote, we are pleased that these members of Congress had the strength and courage to stand for communities who live near high-hazard coal ash dams, across Appalachia, the Southeast and the country.

H.R. 2273 does not provide any true safeguards against the danger of coal ash and subverts the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s public rule-making process already in progress. More than 450,000 Americans have commented on EPA proposals to address coal ash pollution and dam safety — H.R. 2273 essentially drowns out their voices. You can read more about this dangerous bill in our blog post from yesterday. (more…)

Tell Congress We Can’t Afford The Status Quo on Coal Ash!

Thursday, October 13th, 2011 - posted by molly

This Friday, the House of Representatives will vote on H.R. 2273, the Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act, a bill that puts the profits of coal ash polluters above public health. H.R. 2273 subverts public support of the EPA’s proposed federal coal ash rules by leaving coal ash pollution in the hands of states with weak or non-existent regulations.

This bill is one of many designed to effectively weaken our clean water laws and allow Big Coal polluters to keep disregarding our waterways and public health.

Please tell your representatives in Congress to vote NO on H.R. 2273.

Coal ash is the nation’s second-largest waste stream after municipal garbage. Coal ash slurry — a by-product of coal-fired power plants — is highly toxic. People living near an unlined coal ash pond are at a 1-in-50 risk of cancer from arsenic, a rate that is 2,000 times greater than the acceptable level of risk!

As we approach the third anniversary of the Tennessee Valley Authority coal ash disaster that spilled over a billion gallons of toxic sludge into the Emory River in Harriman, Tenn. and cost over $1 billion to clean up, it’s clear that we’re overdue for basic health and environmental protections from coal ash.

Coal ash slurry buried 300 acres when a coal ash impoundment failed at Tennessee Valley Authority's Kingston plant.

The U.S Environmental Protection Agency has the authority to control hazardous waste from “cradle-to-grave” under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Since beginning the process for coal ash nearly three years ago, the agency has received over 450,000 comments asking for strong protection for coal ash waste.

The EPA’s Subtitle C plan would classify coal ash as “hazardous waste” and provide the strong protection the public demands. The agency’s other proposal, the weaker Subtitle D, would rank coal ash as “non-hazardous waste” but still grant some federal oversight. Rep. David McKinley’s (R-W.Va.) bill, H.R. 2273, takes Subtitle D, the lesser plan, and dramatically weakens it by removing basic federal safeguards. See this chart for a breakdown of proposed coal ash regulations.

H.R. 2273 would leave coal ash disposal standards even weaker than the federal rules that govern household waste. Supposedly, municipal solid waste rules provided the model for this legislation. But household waste standards are centered around protecting public health and the environment — this bill makes no mention of either.

Clearly, a lagoon of toxic slurry laden with metals such as arsenic, chromium, lead and mercury is different than an town dump. Yet H.R. 2273 doesn’t require states to inspect ponds in order to ensure structural stability, detect groundwater leaks, or discover other threats to public health and safety. Municipal waste facilities are bound by federal law to clean up or close dumps that contaminate groundwater, but this bill would let coal ash polluters get away without groundwater cleanup standards. Check out this fact sheet for more information about H.R. 2273′s dangerous shortfalls.
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The Brook Trout: highlighting local, regional & global environmental issues

Thursday, May 26th, 2011 - posted by parker

>>This latest Creature Feature highlighting NC’s native trout species — the Brook trout — comes from our new intern Adam Reaves. Thanks, Adam! To learn more about native aquatic critters in the area, don’t miss RiverFest on June 4th.< <

Throughout the Southern expanse of the Appalachian Mountains, the Brook trout spends its seven-year lifespan hunting for mollusks, insects, and frogs in cold streams, lakes and ponds. The Brook trout, sometimes known as the speckled trout or squaretail, is the only native trout species in the Appalachian Mountains and has been at the center of many natural resource management agencies’ efforts to preserve trout stocks.
Brook Trout: North Carolina's State Freshwater Trout
According to a study conducted by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, 92,000 resident and non-resident anglers in the High Country contributed over $150 million to the North Carolina economy. Anglers and environmentalists both have an interest in preserving the health and integrity of the trout population.

The Brook Trout in particular, highlights many complex environmental issues and how they will affect the High Country in the future.

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Vulcan’s Boone Quarry Pollution Problem

Thursday, April 21st, 2011 - posted by eric

Last night I was driving home, and noticed that Laurel Fork (along Hwy 105, just outside of Boone) was running a grayish color. I tracked down the source of the gray water, and it turned out to be the discharge from the Vulcan Boone Quarry (Just south of Boone on 105). Here is a video and some pictures of what I found.

A Gray-Brown Plume of water enters Laurel Fork from the Vulcan Boone Quarry. At the top of the photo you can see clear water in the Laurel Fork and then gray-brown water entering the creek from the right.

Gray-Brown Plume in Laurel Fork, created by Vulcan Boone Quarry

Discharge Pipe

Discharge Pipe

The Vulcan Boone Quarry has had repeated problems in the past with discharging milky white and gray water and they got in trouble for it before. As a result they have some fancy monitoring equipment to watch their discharge. The question remains, why is this still going on if they have they monitor this water, and if they have gotten in trouble for this before?

Monitoring Equipment and Pollution

Monitoring Equipment and Pollution

Check back for updates on what Vulcan and the North Carolina Division of Water Quality are going to do about this.

Vulcans Boone Quarry

Vulcan's Boone Quarry

Vote for Your Favorite Appalachian Photo

Monday, March 28th, 2011 - posted by griff

Interested in seeing some Appalachian Mountain inspired art?

Evolution River by Scott Hotaling, 2010 People's Choice Award recipient

Get out to the Turchin Visual Art Center this week to check out photographs of the amazing culture and scenery of the Appalachian Mountains captured by local photographers. Forty-four images from the 8th Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition are currently on display including five images in the “Our Environmental Footprint” category sponsored by Appalachian Voices.

Be sure to VOTE for your favorite photographer to win the prestigious “People’s Choice Award” as well as $350 from Footsloggers Outdoor and Travel Outfitters. You can vote for your favorite photograph at a kiosk at the Turchin Center or at www.appmtnphotocomp.org, but make sure to do it before Friday, April 1 at 5pm when voting closes.

In addition to capturing the stunning scenery and culture of this region, The Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition helps to subsidize Appalachian State University’s Student Outdoor Learning Expeditions.

If you cannot make it to the Turchin Center this week, the photographs will be on display until June 4.