Thursday, July 02, 2009
EPA posts 'high hazard' impoundment list
EPA has designated 44 units that handle coal combustible residues – also called coal ash – "high hazard potential" impoundments.
Coal ash consists of various metals, such as arsenic, lead and mercury. Although levels of these metals are typically low, coal ash can cause risks to human health and the environment if not properly managed, EPA said.
EPA's rating of the impoundments, which are located in 26 different locations (mostly power plants), indicates the potential for loss of life in the event of a failure. The rating does not reflect the integrity of the impoundment, the agency noted.
The Natural Resources Defense Council, a New York-based environmental group, has been calling for stronger coal waste regulation recently, particularly in light of last year's impoundment failure at the Tennessee Valley Authority's Kingston Fossil Plant, which caused hazardous coal sludge to flood the surrounding area.