Burning the Future: Coal in America

Water Pollution/Coal Combustion Waste

Because coal plants burn enormous quantities of coal, Coal Combustion Waste (CCW) is the largest waste stream in the U.S.  For years most coal ash was simply thrown back in the mine where the coal came from, with no lining to prevent the toxic components from leaching into ground water.  Some newer plants are putting clay liners under ash dumps.  This is an improvement, but studies suggest that it is still inadequate to prevent groundwater contamination.

• Impacts of Water Quality from Placement of Coal Combustion Waste in Pennsylvania Coal Mines (July 2007) Despite persistent claims by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection that there is no evidence that coal ash has ever contaminated water in a coal mine in Pennsylvania, this Study finds plenty of evidence that ash is contaminating groundwater and surface water in ten of fifteen mines with levels of lead, cadmium, arsenic, chromium, nickel, zinc, copper, and other pollutants exceeding drinking water standards and water quality standards, often several times over.
• A Preliminary Evaluation of the Potential for Surface Water Quality Impacts from Fly Ash Disposal at the Navajo Mine, New Mexico
  (May 2005) This report examines the evidence of groundwater contamination from coal ash disposal in the Navajo Mine, adjacent to the Four Corners Power Plant on the Navajo Reservation in Farmington, New Mexico.
• Water Quality Impacts of Coal Combustion Waste Disposal in Two West Virginia Coal Mines
  (April 2005) This report documents very high selenium and thallium in surface water, and high levels of selenium and arsenic in groundwater downstream from the Stacks Run Refuse Site and Albright Site, respectively, two West Virginia coal combustion waste disposal areas in surface mines.
• Coal Ash Pollution Contaminates Groundwater, Increases Cancer Risks:A new EPA report measuring the health risks posed by disposal practices at coal ash dumps confirms what residents who live nearby know only too well – pollution from these sites significantly increases both cancer and noncancer health risks and degrades water quality in groundwater supplies.
• Contaminated Well Owners File Class Action Suit in Maryland - Residents of Gambrills, Maryland whose drinking water wells are polluted with toxic chemicals filed a class action lawsuit against the state's largest power company Constellation Power Source Generation, Inc. The state already recognizes that 34 residential wells have been polluted by two nearby sites in Anne Arundel County where Constellation dumped fly ash.