Published: September 10, 2009 02:38 pm      

Ponds safe, but .... 09/11/9

Dry storage of ash is the best option for coal-fired plants

There is an excellent reason why the issue of federal regulation of coal ash storage ponds is important to Kentucky: With 44 coal ash ponds within its borders, Kentucky stands second only to Indiana with 53 storage ponds in the number of ponds, according to a new survey by the Environmental Protection Agency. Even more troubling is the same EPA survey found spotty inspections of coal-ash ponds in Kentucky and most other states.

Nationwide, the EPA survey found nearly 600 ash ponds in 35 states. The survey was conducted after a massive coal ash spill in Tennessee in December.

The survey also found that there have been spills at 34 storage ponds in the last decade, although the others had been minor compared to the December spill at the Tennessee Valley Authority’s power plant in Kingston, Tenn., that dumped 5.4 million cubic yards of coal ash onto nearby property and into streams and rivers. The cost of ongoing cleanup could reach $1 billion.

Following the Tennessee spill, key members of Congress were surprised to learn that there were no federal regulations of coal ash ponds. That has led environmental groups and many who live near power plants to call for federal oversight of the storage ponds. However, Congress has yet to order federal inspections.

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson earlier this year said that the agency would consider federal rules, but it is unclear whether the ash will be controlled like household trash or under the more stringent rules for hazardous waste. The question centers around just how toxic coal ash is.

Coal ash is a byproduct of burning coal that can include heavy metals and other toxic contaminants. Despite the lack of federal oversight, the EPA has long recognized coal ash as a risk to human health and the environment and knows of 67 cases where it is known or suspected of polluting water.

The most positive aspect of the EPA survey is that the agency found no evidence that any coal ash storage ponds are in danger of immediate collapse. Not surprisingly, that fact led Jim Roewer, executive director of the Utility Solid Waste Activities Group, a consortium of electricity producers, to accent the positive.

“There are no ticking time bombs,” Roewer said. “We are confident that there is not another Tennessee Valley Authority waiting to happen.”

One hopes not, particularly with so many storage ponds in Kentucky, including one at the Big Sandy Power Plant near Louisa. However, TVA recently announced the safest and most reasonable solution: Dry storage of coal ash.

TVA announced that it was converting to dry storage of coal ash at all of its coal-fired power plants. Other utilities should follow TVA’s lead. Better than regulating the storage ponds is getting rid of them altogether.