Residents of a small trailer park off Colon Road in Sanford North Carolina didn’t know that their community will soon become a dumping ground for millions of tons of potentially toxic coal ash. Why is because no one had to ask their permission prior to doing so.
According to North Carolina law, as long as the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) granted its permission to Duke Energy by early 2015, they are good to go. Most community leaders south of Raleigh, North Carolina found out about the Duke Energy plan on November 15, the same day Duke Energy turned in its proposed coal ash disposal plan to the DENR. This was at the behest of state lawmakers to close high-risk coal basins in Eden, Mount Holly, and Wilmington, NC and move the 17.5 million tons of coal ash elsewhere. That ‘elsewhere’ appears to be the small trailer park off Colon Road in Sanford because of its proximity to rail lines and its abundance of clay.
This whole odyssey began around the time the coal ash spill into the Dan River near Eden, North Carolina occurred earlier this year. Out of necessity, the Coal Ash Management Act was pushed through the North Carolina General Assembly (NCGA). This required Duke Energy to get structural fill and waste permits from the DENR. The DENR, in turn, gave Duke Energy broad powers to negotiate ash dumping and bypass financial compensation or local permission for dumping its waste in local communities. Instead, Duke Energy will pay fees to the DENR Division of Energy, Mineral and Land Resources, which handles enforcement and permitting for the state mining activities. Duke Energy Senior VP of Ash Basin Strategy John Elnitsky says that the plan “minimizes the impact to neighboring communities and complies with North Carolina’s new coal ash management policies.” Taking this a step further, the legislation specifically forbids counties or municipalities from drafting ordinances regulating coal disposal. Oh and by the way, state permitting will not require an environmental impact study for this project either. So there will be no way of knowing what the consequences of this legislation will be in the future. But don’t worry –the coal ash landfills will be lined with synthetic materials to prevent leaking.
Fracking advocates like Lee County Commissioner Jim Womack, who happens to be chairman of the North Carolina state Mining and Energy Commission, says fracking is safe and people are giving it a bad rap. Commissioner Womack believes that fracking will be an economic boost for a county with 8% unemployment –slightly higher than the state average. According to a 2012 report by the North Carolina DENR, fracking will, in Lee County, NC, directly employ as many as 39 people in the first year of well development, 169 in the second year, and 229 in the third year. This would in turn boost economic development and demand in other areas in the county such as restaurants and hotels. Lee County Commissioner Charlie Parks says he doesn’t believe coal as is toxic but believes not paying financial compensation to the county is “extremely unfair.”Sanford City Councilman Sam Gaskins, expressed a pessimistic view saying “They don’t really care,” and “They’re going to do what they please.”
If you just came out from under the rock you’ve been hiding under today, Brasch at Daily Kos did a good synopsis here about why everyone is so passionate about fracking.
Source: The State’s Ash Tray. Retrieved November 29, 2014 from: http://www.indyweek.com/...
Mon Dec 15, 2014 at 9:39 AM PT: CUMBERLAND COUNTY
More of the same in Cumberland County. According to the Fayetteville News & Observer, residents there, as in Lee County have mixed opinions about how the $5 billion natural gas pipeline affects them. A Washington Times article from July of this year reported that Duke Energy has 33 unlined ash pits at 14 coal-fired power plants across the state, all of which state environmental officials say are contaminating groundwater and threatening nearby rivers and lakes. Coal ash contains numerous toxic substances, including arsenic, selenium, mercury, and lead.
The proposed plan for the pipeline has it starting in West Virginia, passing through the Virginia and ending in Robeson County, North Carolina. Almost all of the pipeline will be underground in North Carolina. Doug Peters, president and chief of the Fayetteville Reigional Chamber and Cumberland County Manager Amy Cannon appear to not have enough actionable information to move forward one way or the other. Mr. Peters lamenting that there is not enough known information about the pipeline to make and educated judgment on the pipeline. Therefore, “the jury is out.” Ms. Cannon states “We’ve really not had and public discussion of the pipeline.”
According to the Fayetteville News & Observer, The pipeline is a joint venture of Dominion Resources, Duke Energy, Piedmont Natural Gas and AGL Resources. The News & Reporter says the first news reports of the pipeline surfaced in April, when Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas jointly announced a solicitation for proposals to build and operate a second major wholesale natural gas pipeline in North Carolina to meet growing demand. The other pipeline, called Transco, runs from the Gulf of Mexico to New York. It follows the Interstate 85 corridor in western North Carolina.
Revelations have also surfaced that North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory has given his full support to the pipeline - recently stumping for it in Robeson and Wilson counties – while officials in Cumberland County continue to take a wait-and-see attitude.
Read more…http://www.fayobserver.com/...
Source:
NC House approves Duke coal ash cleanup bill (2014) Retreived December 15, 2014 from: http://www.washingtontimes.com/...
Fitzsimon, C., (2014) Monday numbers. Retrieved December 15, 2014 from: http://www.ncpolicywatch.com/...
Barnes, G., (2014) Gas pipeline fails to energize debate over its route in Cumberland County. Retrieved December 15, 2014 from: https://www.readability.com/...