Toxic coal ash ponds represent a clear and present danger to our health, safety, and environmental. This study shows how significant an issue this is and that we’re not addressing this in a meaningful way. Riverbend and Marshal coal fired incinerators produce tons of toxic coal ash and Duke Energy Corporation stores it on the banks of the Catawba River. Learn more about this issue and speak out.
Proposed Rules for Coal Waste Disposal Ignore Lessons from 45 Years of Wildlife Poisoning
This is great paper published by two senior government scientists (Drs.Lemly of the USFS and Skorupa of USFWS) in Environmental Science and Technology on the huge economic impacts of damage to fish and wildlife over the past 45 years from coal ash ponds.
Important takeaways:
1. Direct and indirect costs of surface impoundments to fish and wildlife is $2.3 billion over the last 45 years, with projected 50-year future damage costs of $3.85 billion
2. NPDES “has not been effective in preventing serious environmental damage” from coal ash ponds.
3. EPA’s Regulatory Impact Analysis fails to include costs and benefits of pollution controls in avoided damages to natural resources.
4. “Surface impoundments pose unacceptably high ecological risks regardless of location or design.”
Download the full report here: Coal Waste Impacts on Wildlife – August 9, 2012
Thanks to Lisa Evans, Senior Administrative Counsel for Earthjustice for providing this information.
