200:
Part of the agreement is having Duke Energy identify areas of necessary cleanup on the Dan River that is estimated to cost around 1 million dollars. The other 2 million dollars is allocated to EPA to address future response methods needed in order to clean up the Dan River. A spokesperson for Duke Energy announced that the company plans to exit the coal ash business. Associates have said that well before the Dan River incident the company had allocated 130 million dollars to transitioning plants to handle fly ash in dry form and manage it in lined landfills. Duke Energy said that it created an advisory group of researchers to help with cleaner coal combustion at its facilities.
112:
after burning coal for electricity. Coal companies have found that the cheapest way to store this waste is to mix it with water and store it in a pond. These ponds have been found to have leaks that can dispose hazardous material into surface water among other things. EPA has identified at least 25 coal ash ponds in the southeast that are "high hazard". This material was released into the Dan River because of the collapse of a 48 inch drain pipe. The pipe was made of concrete and corrugated metal and reason for the fracture cannot be identified. What resulted was 39 thousand tons of coal ash and 27 million gallons of ash pond water were deposited into the Dan River.
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84:, a retired coal power plant which had ceased operation in 2012. Duke Energy apologized for the incident and announced detailed plans for removal of coal ash at the Dan River site. Workers were only able to remove about ten percent of the coal ash that was spilled into the river, but cleanup is ongoing and Duke Energy plans to spend around 3 million dollars to continue the cleanup efforts.
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levels (ERSLs) to assess risk to aquatic and plant life. Coal ash is made up of various materials after the burning of coal takes place. These include silica, arsenic, boron, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, selenium, and zinc. Certain contaminants that were measured exceed the screening levels, necessitating that the water/sediment chemistry must continue to be monitored.
352:. These assessments were approved by the EPA in consultation with the affected state agencies including NCDEQ and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ). Following the spill and written into the AOC are monitoring protocols in which EPA will sporadically authorize the NCDEQ and VDEQ to take split or duplicate
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filed. If the plaintiffs in these cases are successful, Duke Energy would be required to drain all of its 31 ponds. The draining process would cost $ 5 billion to the already $ 5.6 billion cleanup from 2014. With the added costs, Duke energy customers could expect to pay a higher fee in the next coming years.
325:
To keep the energy provider accountable, under the
Administrative Settlement Agreement & Order on Consent for Removal Action (AOC) as of May 2014, the Respondent, Duke Energy, was required to submit a number of plans to EPA, including a scope of work, public health, post-removal site control, and
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EPA has been collecting dissolved contaminant concentration data in the Dan River (from the VA/NC state line to midway between
Danville and South Boston) since the coal ash spill. The organization has been periodically comparing the retrieved water/sediment chemistry data to ecological risk screening
79:
in Eden, North
Carolina, sending 39,000 tons of coal ash into the Dan River. In addition to the coal ash, 27 million gallons of wastewater from the plant was released into the river. The broken pipe was left unsealed for almost a week before the draining coal ash was stopped. The ash was deposited up
181:
After the incident, Duke Energy was prosecuted by a number of agencies, and substantial evidence was presented indicating that company officials knew about numerous coal ash leaks in various plants including the Eden facility and declined to resolve it or provide local plant administrators the funds
177:
to force the company to fix leaks in its coal ash dumps. Each time, the groups were blocked by NCDEQ, which eventually fined the company $ 99,111. Federal prosecutors found this fine to be suspiciously low, and investigated both Duke Energy and the state regulators. Many newspaper editorials alleged
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and selenium, but the river was deemed by state officials to be a safe source for drinking water. However, further tests showed the ash to contain pollutants including but not limited to arsenic, copper, selenium, iron, zinc and lead. The coal ash immediately endangered animals and fish species that
363:
As of April 1, 2019 North
Carolina has ordered Duke Energy to dig up millions of tons of coal ash at six of its power plants. The dangerous coal ash has been mixed with water and stored in uncovered, unlined ponds for decades, but following the 2014 Dan River coal ash spill, many lawsuits have been
199:
Largely as a result of the attention brought to Duke Energy's handling of coal ash ponds by the 2014 disaster, the North
Carolina state legislature ordered Duke Energy to close its 32 ash ponds in the state by 2029. On May 2, 2014, Duke Energy and EPA agreed to a 3 million dollar cleanup agreement.
140:
The coal ash will never be fully removed from the river. This is due to samples passing human health screening, the potential for historical contamination to become re-suspended, and removal being more detrimental to certain endangered species than the coal ash itself. In addition, the coal ash is
136:
The latest surface water sampling results were released by EPA in July 2014. All surface water chemical concentrations were found to be below the ERSLs except for lead. The latest sediment sampling results were also released in July 2014. All sediment chemical concentrations were found to be below
343:
Within these plans, Duke Energy is responsible for creating and implementing a Site
Assessment that includes but is not limited to ecological analysis, surface water and sediment assessment as well as post-removal monitoring protocols to calculate the extent of pollution in the Dan River in North
111:
The cause of the ash spill was described by EPA as a limited structural flaw. A storm pipe nearby the deposits of a coal ash slurry containment area broke and allowed for the leakage. Coal ash slurry is produced during the process of burning coal. It is the left over impurities that stick around
203:
In
February 2016 EPA proposed a $ 6.8 million settlement, which Duke Energy immediately appealed. In September the corporation accepted a settlement just shy of the original amount at $ 5,983,750, to be paid for fines, restitution, cleanup assessment, removal, and community action initiatives.
173:. Prior to being Governor, McCrory had worked for Duke Energy for nearly three decades. At the time, it was the third largest coal ash spill to have occurred in the United States. Prior to the incident, environmental groups had attempted to sue Duke Energy three times in 2013 under the
183:
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the ERSLs except for aluminum, arsenic, barium, and iron. The latest soil sampling results were released in June 2014. All soil chemical concentrations were found to be below the ERSLs except for aluminum, barium, iron, and manganese.
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under the Clean Water Act. Duke agreed to pay $ 102 million in fines and restitution, the largest federal criminal fine in North
Carolina history. Duke also agreed to pay fines to North Carolina and Virginia ($ 2.5 million).
923:"In the Matter of Eden Ash Spill (a/k/a/ Duke Coal Ash Spill), Eden, Rockingham County, North Carolina. Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC, Respondent. Administrative Settlement Agreement and Order on Consent for Removal Action"
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already mixed in with existing sediment, complicating its removal further. EPA estimated that about 72 percent of all the toxic water in the country comes directly from coal-fired power plants.
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The engineering report describes steps executed by Duke to improve the structural durability of post-release impoundments and storm sewer lines running under their coal ash impoundments.
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Regarding the initial settlement, EPA sends periodic bills to Duke Energy accounting for direct and indirect costs incurred by EPA, its contractors, and the
Department of Justice.
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The states affected launched a lawsuit on July 18, 2019, asking that the court declare Duke Energy responsible for the damage done to the environment by the spill.
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lived in or around the river. Six days after the spill Duke Energy announced that the leakage had been stopped and they pledged to clean up the coal ash.
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169:(NCDEQ; formerly the Department of Environment and Natural Resources) was directed to minimize its regulatory role prior to the accident by Governor
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51:(EPA) has since been responsible for overseeing cleanup of the waste. EPA and Duke Energy signed an administrative order for the site cleanup.
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to 70 miles (110 km) from the site of the spill and contained harmful metals and chemicals. This catastrophe occurred at the site of the
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they were requesting to monitor and mitigate the problems. At the federal level, Duke was prosecuted by the
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can coat and degrade the habitats of aquatic animals as well as cause direct harm to certain organisms.
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that Duke Energy's environmental safety controls were lax and that the company "bullied" regulators.
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The post-removal site control plan provides EPA with documentation of all post-removal arrangements.
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452:"Case Summary: Duke Energy Agrees to $ 3 Million Cleanup for Coal Ash Release in the Dan River"
996:"Duke Energy Corporation agrees to $ 6 million fine for coal ash spill, North Carolina says"
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in their handling of coal ash at Eden and elsewhere and paid fines of over $ 5 million. The
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The public health plan ensures protection of public health during on-site removal projects.
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The work plan includes descriptions and a schedule of actions required by the settlement.
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964:"NC orders Duke Energy to dig up millions of tons of coal ash at six power plants"
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Natural
Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration Program - Case Document Library
545:"Dan River Coal Ash Disaster: Environmental impact could take years to determine"
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United States Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division
706:"Frequently Asked Questions about the Duke Energy Coal Ash Spill in Eden, NC"
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Collapsed coal ash impoundment, with the closed power plant in the background
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USFWS responders take core samples of Dan River sediment following the spill
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888:"Duke Energy agrees to pay $ 6M fine in the Dan River coal ash spill case"
520:"Dan River Coal Ash Disaster: Most ash settled up to 25 miles downstream"
458:. Washington, DC: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 2017-03-15.
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862:"Duke Energy fined $ 25.1 million for groundwater damage from coal ash"
245: in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
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reported that the river was turned into an oily sludge. The river is a
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580:. Dan River Natural Resource Trustee Council. 2015. pp. 6–7.
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Cleanup activities at the collapsed coal ash impoundment in 2014
1035:"Duke Energy to pay Virginia $ 2.5 million for Dan River spill"
1007:
Chakravorty, Shubhankar; Gopinath, Swetha (18 February 2015).
429:"Spill spews tons of coal ash into North Carolina's Dan River"
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945:"Duke Energy sued for 2014 coal ash spill environmental harm"
677:"Sampling Results for Duke Energy Coal Ash Spill in Eden, NC"
1048:"N.C. fines Duke Energy $ 6.6 million for Dan River spill"
1009:"Duke Energy Close To Settling With Government Over Spill"
652:"Site Profile - Eden NC Coal Ash Spill - EPA OSC Response"
658:. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
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983:"Duke Energy fined $ 102 million in coal ash spill"
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403:. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of the Interior
1061:"Money, Politics, and Pollution in North Carolina"
356:to ensure consistent quality after removal of the
167:North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality
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71:On February 2, 2014 a drainage pipe burst at a
98:. Immediate tests showed increased amounts of
1151:Waste disposal incidents in the United States
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94:source for communities in North Carolina and
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1161:Environmental disasters in the United States
1136:Environmental impact of the energy industry
1022:"Ash Spill Shows How Watchdog Was Defanged"
1131:Environmental impact of the coal industry
1116:February 2014 events in the United States
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305:Learn how and when to remove this message
578:Dan River Coal Ash Spill Assessment Plan
476:. Charlotte, NC: Duke Energy Corporation
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720:"Impact: Wildlife – Southeast Coal Ash"
499:Ash Management & Safe Basin Closure
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1046:Henderson, Bruce (9 February 2016).
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427:Shoicet, Catherine E. (2014-02-09).
243:adding citations to reliable sources
67:shoreline, downstream from the spill
49:U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
1166:2014 disasters in the United States
994:Broome, Gerry (25 September 2016).
374:2018 Cape Fear River coal ash spill
186:and pled guilty to nine charges of
43:. The company later pled guilty to
1074:"EPA coal ash rule still not done"
1072:Martinson, Erica (24 March 2014).
943:Dalesio, Emery P. (18 July 2019).
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1146:Rockingham County, North Carolina
1085:Stahl, Lesley (7 December 2014).
1033:Henderson, Bruce (3 April 2015).
1020:Gabriel, Trip (1 February 2014).
157:, site of the 2014 coal ash spill
1059:Katz, Jonathan M. (7 May 2014).
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962:Henderson, Bruce (2019-04-01).
766:Chakravorty & Gopinath 2015
254:"2014 Dan River coal ash spill"
230:needs additional citations for
1126:Energy accidents and incidents
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981:Broome, Gerry (14 May 2015).
549:Greensboro News & Record
886:Downey, John (2016-09-23).
866:Center for Public Integrity
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892:Charlotte Business Journal
620:"Coal Slurry and Coal Ash"
595:"Coal Slurry and Coal Ash"
524:Greensboro News and Record
397:"Dan River Coal Ash Spill"
1121:Coal-fired power stations
470:"Dan River Steam Station"
73:coal ash containment pond
63:Coal ash deposits on the
1087:"The Spill at Dan River"
1111:2014 in the environment
348:and Schoolfield Dam in
155:Dan River Steam Station
82:Dan River Steam Station
35:spilled 39,000 tons of
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116:Environmental impact
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326:engineering plans.
188:criminal negligence
153:Aerial view of the
45:criminal negligence
1026:The New York Times
932:. EPA. 2014-05-22.
708:. EPA. 2017-03-14.
679:. EPA. 2017-03-10.
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778:Broome 2016
456:Enforcement
171:Pat McCrory
145:Enforcement
77:Duke Energy
33:Duke Energy
1105:Categories
872:2022-02-21
837:Stahl 2014
725:2019-04-25
662:2018-03-12
630:2019-04-25
624:SouthWings
605:2018-03-16
599:SouthWings
554:2018-03-16
505:2019-07-07
480:2018-03-17
380:References
295:March 2018
265:newspapers
754:Katz 2014
75:owned by
65:Dan River
41:Dan River
39:into the
1091:CBS News
1078:Politico
1013:HuffPost
407:13 March
368:See also
358:coal ash
195:Outcomes
123:Coal ash
96:Virginia
55:Incident
37:coal ash
949:AP News
279:scholar
100:arsenic
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926:(PDF)
286:JSTOR
272:books
409:2018
258:news
161:The
433:CNN
241:by
88:CNN
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