Waterkeeper Alliance
Conservation groups today asked the N.C. Environmental Management Commission (EMC) to require Progress Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Carolinas to clean up groundwater contaminated by old, unlined coal ash lagoons at 14 coal-fired power plants that have been leaking toxic substances for decades. Coal ash is the toxic waste that remains after coal is burned. The Southern Environmental Law Center filed the complaint with the EMC on behalf of the Cape Fear River Watch, Sierra Club, Waterkeeper Alliance and Western North Carolina Alliance.
“It’s irresponsible to North Carolina’s families that utilities know coal ash slurry is seeping poisons into groundwater and rivers without cleaning it up,” said DJ Gerken, senior attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center who represents the groups in today’s filing.
Self-monitoring by Progress Energy Carolinas confirms that contamination around its coal ash waste ponds at its Asheville and L. V. Sutton facilities exceeded state standards for groundwater quality. Progress and Duke Energy Carolinas’ own reporting also confirms contamination at 12 other facilities across the state. Despite the acknowledged contamination, the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources has not required the utilities to cleanup these sites. Today’s filing asks the state to take decisive action to protect North Carolina’s residents.
“Burning coal leaves behind toxic pollutants in coal ash which have the potential to damage every major organ in our bodies. In Asheville and around the state, residents deserve protection from leaking coal ash lagoons,” said Kelly Martin, Beyond Coal campaign representative with the Sierra Club. “It’s time for Duke and Progress to clean up its waste.”
Among the coal waste contaminants that exceeded state standards in groundwater at the Asheville plant near the French Broad River and L.V. Sutton plant near the Cape Fear River are thallium and selenium. Thallium is a poison and suspected to cause cancer in people. Additionally, thallium is highly water-soluble and nearly tasteless, making it difficult to detect in groundwater and hard for residents to identify its presence and protect themselves. In high amounts, selenium causes illness and neurological damage in people, even death in extreme cases.
“The celebration of the French Broad River as a world-class recreation destination is well deserved,” said French Broad Riverkeeper Hartwell Carson. “Progress Energy needs to hear from all of us that our community embraces a future for the French Broad River as a world-class recreation destination—and that we no longer want to see it used as a dumping ground for toxic coal ash.”
“Groundwater monitoring at the Sutton coal ash ponds show arsenic levels 27 times higher than safe groundwater standards, just half a mile from drinking water wells,” said Kemp Burdette, Cape Fear Riverkeeper at the Cape Fear River Watch. “The risk to human health is too great to ignore any longer.”
Arsenic levels exceeded state groundwater standards at the Sutton plant on the Cape Fear River. Epidemiological studies have suggested a correlation between chronic consumption of water contaminated with arsenic and the incidence of cancer and many leading causes of death.
"Years ago, I found 681 exceedances of the North Carolina groundwater standard for arsenic, boron, cadmium, chloride, chromium, iron, lead, manganese, pH, sulfate and total dissolved solids at ash ponds across NC," said Donna Lisenby of Waterkeeper Alliance. "Levels of these pollutants were up to 380 times higher than the North Carolina groundwater standard, yet Duke and Progress completely failed to take any meaningful steps to clean up their toxic water pollution. Today, we acted to safeguard the health of our communities and waterways by demanding that the state of NC force these irresponsible utilities to clean up the poisons they put in our groundwater.”
Progress Energy Carolinas and Duke Energy Carolinas confirmed contamination from older coal ash waste ponds at 14 of their facilities across the state, including:
- L.V. Sutton Power Station in Wilmington, NC near Lake Sutton and the Cape Fear River
- Asheville Power Station in Arden, NC near the French Broad River and Lake Julian
- Allen Steam Station in Belmont, NC near the Catawba River and Lake Wylie
- Belews Creek Steam Station in Belews Creek, NC near the Dan River and Belews Lake
- Buck Steam Station in Spencer, NC near the Yadkin River
- Cliffside Steam Station in Mooresboro, NC near the Broad River
- Dan River Steam Station in Eden, NC near the Dan River
- Marshall Steam Station in Terrell, NC near the Catawba River and Lake Norman
- Riverbend Steam Station in Mount Holly, NC near the Catawba River and Mountain Island Lake
- Cape Fear Power Station in Moncure, NC near the Cape Fear River
- Lee Power Station in Goldsboro, NC near the Neuse River
- Mayo Power Station in Roxboro, NC near Mayo Creek, Mayo Reservoir, Crutchfield Creek, and Roanoke Basin
- Roxboro Power Station in Semora, NC near the Hyco River, Hyco Lake, and Sargent’s Creek
- W.H. Weatherspoon Power Station in Lumberton, NC near Jacob Swamp and Lumber River
Coal ash waste ponds came to national attention on Dec. 22, 2008 when a dam burst at the TVA Kingston Fossil Plant and spilled coal ash waste slurry through nearby homes and into the Emory River in Tennessee. Today, toxic coal ash waste still remains less regulated than household waste.
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About Southern Environmental Law Center - The Southern Environmental Law Center is a regional nonprofit using the power of the law to protect the health and environment of the Southeast (Virginia, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama). Founded in 1986, SELC's team of more than 50 legal and policy experts represent more than 100 partner groups on issues of climate change and energy, air and water quality, forests, the coast and wetlands, transportation, and land use.
About Sierra Club - The Sierra Club is America's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 1.4 million members and supporters nationwide. The Sierra Club works to to safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying and litigation.
About Waterkeeper Alliance - Waterkeeper Alliance unites more than 200 Waterkeeper organizations that are on the front lines of the global water crisis patrolling and protecting more than 1.5 million square miles of rivers, lakes and coastlines in the Americas, Europe, Australia, Asia and Africa. Waterkeepers emphasize citizen advocacy to defend the fundamental human right to swimmable, drinkable, and fishable waters, and combine firsthand knowledge of their waterways with an unwavering commitment to the rights of their communities and to the rule of law.
About Western North Carolina Alliance - For 30 years, the Western North Carolina Alliance (WNCA) has been a trusted community partner, marshaling grassroots support to keep our forests healthy, our air and water clean, and our communities vibrant. WNCA empowers citizens to be advocates for livable communities and the natural environment of Western North Carolina.
Here are three new films to watch this Earth Week that will transport you from pole to pole and introduce you to the scientists and activists working to save our shared home.
1. The Year Earth Changed
Where to Watch: Apple TV+
When to Watch: From April 16
The coronavirus pandemic has brought home the stakes of humanity's impact on the environment. But the lockdowns also proved how quickly nature can recover when humans give it the space. Birds sang in empty cities, whales surfaced in Glacier Bay and capybara roamed the South American suburbs.
The Year Earth Changed captures this unique year with footage from more than 30 lockdowned cities between May 2020 to January 2021. Narrated by renowned wildlife broadcaster David Attenborough, the film explores what positive lessons we can take from the experience of a quieter, less trafficked world.
"What the film shows is that the natural world can bounce back remarkably quickly when we take a step back and reduce our impact as we did during lockdown," executive producer Alice Keens-Soper of BBC Studios Natural History Unit told EcoWatch. "If we are willing to make even small changes to our habits, the natural world can flourish. We need to learn how to co-exist with nature and understand that we are not separate from it- for example if we closed some of our beaches at for a few weeks during the turtle breeding we see that it can make a huge difference to their success. There are many ways that we can adapt our behavior to allow the natural world to thrive as it did in lockdown."
2. After Antarctica
Where to Watch: San Francisco International Film Festival
When to Watch: 12 a.m. PST April 9 to 11:59 p.m. April 18
In 1989, Will Steger led an international team of six scientists and explorers to be the first humans to cross Antarctica by dogsled. Steger and his team weren't just in it for the adventure. They also wanted to draw attention to the ways in which the climate crisis was already transforming the icy continent and to rally support for the renewal of the Antarctic Treaty, which would keep the continent safe from extractive industries.
In After Antarctica, award-winning filmmaker Tasha Van Zandt follows Steger 30 years later as he travels the Arctic this time, reflecting on his original journey and once again bringing awareness to changes in a polar landscape. The film intersperses this contemporary journey with footage from the original expedition, some of which has never been seen before.
"Will's life journey as an explorer and climate activist has led him not only to see more of the polar world than anyone else alive today, but to being an eyewitness to the changes occurring across both poles," Van Zandt told EcoWatch. "But now, these changes are happening in all of our own backyards and we have all become eyewitnesses. Through my journey with Will, I have learned that although we cannot always control change, we can change our response. I feel strongly that this is a message that resonates when we look at the current state of the world, as we each have power and control over how we choose to respond to hardships, and we all have the power to unite with others through collective action around a common goal."
After Antarctica is available to stream once you purchase a ticket to the San Francisco International Film Festival. If you miss it this weekend, it will screen again at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival from May 13 to May 23.
Tasha Van Zandt
3. The Race to Save the World
Where to Watch: Virtual Cinema
When to Watch: From Earth Day, April 22
While many films about the climate crisis seek to raise awareness about the extent of the problem, The Race to Save the World focuses on the people who are trying to stop it. The film tells the story of climate activists ranging from 15-year-old Aji to 72-year-old Miriam who are working to create a sustainable future. It follows them from the streets to the courtroom to their homes, and explores the impact of their advocacy on their personal lives and relationships.
Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker Joe Gantz told EcoWatch that he wanted to make a film about climate change, but did not want to depress viewers with overwhelming statistics. Instead, he chose to inspire them by sharing the stories of people trying to make a difference.
"Unless millions of people take to the streets and make their voices heard for a livable future, the politicians are not going to get on board to help make the changes needed for a sustainable future," Gantz told Ecowatch. "I think that The Race To Save The World will energize and inspire people to take action so that future generations, as well as the plants, animals and ecosystems, can survive and thrive on this planet."
Check back with EcoWatch on the morning of Earth Day for a special preview of this inspiring film!