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Critics Say State's New Coal Ash Classifications Don't Go Far Enough

photo credit: The Yadkin Riverkeeper - On Sunday, February 2, 2014, a Duke Energy coal ash pond located on the Dan River near Eden, N.C., began discharging into the Dan River. The spill is the 3rd largest coal ash spill in U.S. History.

The state recently issued a new classification system for coal ash ponds. It's all part of how North Carolina is dealing with the aftermath of the Dan River coal ash spill in Rockingham County which dumped more than 39,000 tons of coal ash into the waterway nearly two years ago. 

WFDD's Keri Brown breaks down what some of the new recommendations mean and why some say it's not enough.

What exactly are we talking about here? What does a coal ash dumpsite look like?

Picture a slurry pit. A lot of times the water is somewhat clear on top but beneath the surface is a toxic pool of sludge, which often contains things such as arsenic, lead, and selenium. Burning coal creates waste and these coal sites are ponds where the coal ash is disposed.

So basically, the state is classifying the toxicity of these sites?

Yes, the state is prioritizing for the closing and cleanup of these dump site. Basically, there's really nothing new in regards to the four high-risk designation ponds. The state classified these along with new legislation two years ago. But what is new is the classification of the remaining ash basins, which are considered intermediate or low risk. That's also been creating some controversy at the same time.

On why critics say these classifications don't go far enough: 

There are some environmental groups that feel more of them should be labeled high risk. A lot of the residents who live near these sites also want to see more testing with the wells and groundwater. Duke Energy submitted data that was used by the state in the classification process and the state did their own sampling. They want to see more testing and more of these sites moved to high risk.

Why should the average North Carolinian care so much about this list?

We're coming up on the second anniversary of the massive coal ash spill we saw near Eden along the Dan River. One of the sites that is classified as high priority or high risk is that particular site. I've reported on this spill and I can tell you there are a lot of unknowns about coal ash. Scientists aren't sure what the long-term impact is on the environment or human health. That's creating a lot of concern for these folks.

Follow Keri Brown on Twitter @kerib_news

 

 

 

Keri Brown is a multi-award winning reporter and host at 88.5 WFDD. She has been honored with two regional Edward R. Murrow awards for her stories about coal ash, and was named the 2015 radio reporter of the year by the Radio Television Digital News Association of the Carolinas (RTDNAC).Although she covers a variety of topics, her beats are environmental and education reporting.Keri comes to the Triad from West Virginia Public Broadcasting, where she served as the Chief Bureau Reporter for the Northern Panhandle. She produced stories for the state's Public Television and Radio programs and was honored by the West Virginia Associated Press Broadcasters Association for her feature and enterprise reporting.She also served as an adjunct instructor at Wheeling Jesuit University and Bethany College in West Virginia. She worked with the Center for Educational Technologies in Wheeling, WV, and other NASA centers across the country to develop several stories about the use of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts in the classroom.Keri's journalism career began at WTRF-TV 7 in Wheeling. She worked in several roles at the station, including the head assignment editor. She also was a field producer and assignment manager at WPGH-TV Fox 53 in Pittsburgh.Keri is a graduate of Ohio University. When she's not in the studio or working on a story, she enjoys watching college football with her family, cooking, and traveling.Keri is always looking for another great story idea, so please share them with her. You can follow her on Twitter @kerib_news.
Sean Bueter joined WFDD in August 2015 as a reporter covering issues across the Piedmont Triad and beyond.Previously, Sean was a reporter, host and news director at WBOI in Fort Wayne, Ind., just a few hours from where he grew up. He also sorted Steve Inskeep's mail as an intern at NPR in Washington, D.C.Sean has experience on a variety of beats, including race, wealth and poverty, economic development, and more. His work has appeared on NPR's Morning Edition and All Things Considered, and APM's Marketplace.In his spare time, Sean plays tennis (reasonably well), golf (reasonably poorly), and scours local haunts for pinball machines to conquer.

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