Danville to hire experienced enviromental attorney!

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Duke Energy is cleaning up its massive coal ash spill in the Dan River at no charge to ratepayers. But Duke executives have made clear to both lawmakers and the public that the Charlotte-based utility plans to ask the North Carolina Public Utility Commission to pass along the costs of cleaning up dozens of other coal ash dumps to customers.

But in neighboring South Carolina, both SCE&G and Santee Cooper have already launched significant coal ash cleanups without turning to customers for a rate hike. And both South Carolina-based electric utilities are using cleanup methods pushed by environmentalists in court and resisted by Duke. 

“It’s best for our customers-- taking care of an issue that would be here for many years to come,” said Santee Cooper VP Tom Kierspe. 

Santee Cooper has dried out coal ash ponds, the same kind of dumps that spilled into the Dan River, and is sifting tons of gray ash to truck it off site to be refined and reused in concrete. Santee Cooper has described the effort as a “win-win-win” since it will restore the low country ponds as natural wetlands, provide jobs to local communities and produce a product useful in construction. 



Duke has resisted a “one size fits all” approach for its coal ash dumps, saying they are each unique and vary greatly in size, from 1.2 million tons at Dan River to 22 million tons at the Marshall coal-fired steam station on Lake Norman. 

Cleanup of the Dan River began April 1 after a massive coal ash spill coated 70 miles of the waterway with toxic sludge.

But it is just the start of what will be at least a two-year process to clean up the entire mess left by a collapsed pipe at Duke Energy's retired Dan River Steam Station, as well as sites near Asheville and Charlotte.

Abreu Grogan park in Danville, Va., closed April 1 to begin preparing the area for the waste removal project. Vacuum dredging will begin once site preparations are complete, and the entire project is expected to last until late June.

Officials say the park is expected to reopen to the public in July.

Officials drew a sparse crowd to preview their plans for cleaning up what could be the granddaddy of coal ash deposits left by Duke Energy’s Dan River spill two months ago.

A few dozen residents of Virginia and North Carolina turned out to screen the power company’s plan to vacuum up a 2,500-ton deposit near the city’s Schoolfield Dam, not far from where the community draws its drinking water.

Duke estimates the Feb. 2 spill released 30,000 to 39,000 tons of toxic ash, which would mean the Schoolfield Dam site accumulated 6 to 8 percent of the entire spill.

Danville is hiring an attorney — experienced in environmental cases — to help protect the city’s interests in seeking cleanup and long-term monitoring of the affects of Duke Energy’s coal ash spill.

While city officials are not ready to announce the name of the attorney — City Attorney Clarke Whitfield said a contract has not yet been signed — Whitfield said he expects to be able to make that announcement next week.

Danville City Councilman John Gilstrap said council members have met and interviewed the attorney in a closed-door session; he called the attorney’s environmental experience “extensive ... it’s about all he does.”

Gilstrap said the group heard a 90-minute presentation from the attorney, who spoke specifically on what Danville “should and could do.”

Vice Mayor Gary Miller said he has heard from real estate agents say they will lose money on sales of farms along the river and has been told by the city manager that economic development prospects are taking the potential long-term damage — or even the perception of long-term damage — into account as they are deciding which locality they should chose for their business.

Miller said he would like to see Duke Energy pick up the costs for helping restore the river’s reputation as a beautiful destination with an outstanding walking trail, perhaps by finishing the trail or doing some of the other long-range projects the city has in mind for areas along the river.

“I want Duke to make it right, but I’m afraid what they think is right is to pay for some extra chemicals and time lost, and to take out about 5 percent of the coal ash and walking away.

“I don’t trust them,” Miller said bluntly.

“It’s really a team effort,” EPA coordinator Patricia Taylor said. “Duke Energy is doing it, but we’re here to make sure they are doing it right.”

http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/SC-electric-companies-are-cleaning-up-coal-ash-without-rate-hikes--257234181.html

http://www.godanriver.com/news/coal-ash/city-hiring-specialist-to-handle-ash-claims/article_8b518352-cff7-11e3-a543-001a4bcf6878.html

http://www.wncn.com/story/25123346/wncn-investigates-coal-ash-in-nc

http://www.news-record.com/news/dan_river/article_d1f3b774-c455-11e3-99fb-0017a43b2370.html