Coal Waste Pollutes Pennsylvania Groundwater, Streams

Waste from coal-fired power plants is contaminating water supplies throughout Pennsylvania and does not provide the environmental benefits the state's Department of Environmental Protection claims it does, according to a new study released today by the Clean Air Task Force and Earthjustice.

The study, "Impacts on Water Quality from Placement of Coal Combustion Waste in Pennsylvania Coal Mines," found that groundwater and streams near 10 of 15 mines where coal ash waste had been disposed had unhealthy levels of arsenic, lead, cadmium, selenium and other contaminants.

"Disposing of coal combustion waste in these mines is threatening water supplies all over the state," said Jeff Stant, director of the Pennsylvania Minefill Research Project at the Clean Air Task Force. "If the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection won't act now to stop these dangers, the U.S. EPA should step in to protect the residents of Pennsylvania who live near coal ash mine fills."

Coal ash, or coal combustion waste (CCW), is a mix of heavy metals and other toxic waste produced by the burning of coal at power plants. Over the past 20 years, the Pennsylvania EPA has encouraged the disposal of CCW in about 120 active and abandoned coal mines across the state. The agency claims coal ash reduces acidic water drainage from mines and increases soil fertility.

However, the Clean Air Task Force/Earthjustice study reported the opposite to be true: at six of nine sites where coal ash was placed to reduce acid drainage, acidity levels in the mines actually increased, it found.

The study recommends, among other things, that the Pennsylvania EPA conducts better short- and long-term pollution monitoring at ash disposal sites, isolates ash from water and has operators set aside funds for cleaning up pollution caused by CCW disposal.

One state environmental group is seeking even quicker action.