Missouri Residents to Speak Out to State Legislators on Coal Ash ResolutionMar 14 - Targeted News Service
The Sierra Club issued the following news release: Today, the Tourism and Natural Resources Committee of the Missouri House of Representatives held a hearing on HCR 28, a resolution on disposal of toxic coal ash waste produced by coal-fired power plants across the state of Missouri . The resolution urges the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to require groundwater monitoring immediately at all new and existing coal ash ponds in Missouri , and require cleanup at all coal ash ponds found to be leaking toxic chemicals. "Coal ash is full of heavy metals, like mercury, lead and arsenic, which can cause cancer and brain damage in humans and are harmful to fish and wildlife," said Dr. John Kissel , a retired physician from the St. Louis area. "The people of Missouri have a right to know if it is safe for their children to drink the water." Unlike neighboring states like Illinois , Missouri does not require groundwater monitoring near coal ash ponds, many of which have leaked toxic chemicals for decades. The hearing is the first opportunity many Missouri residents will have to speak out on protecting water from coal ash dumping by polluters since a major coal ash spill in North Carolina , ( http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/09/us/north-carolina-coal-ash-spill/ ) which left local drinking water at risk from nearly 82,000 tons of toxic coal ash dumped into the Dan River . "Now is the time for our state leaders to address Missouri's very dangerous coal ash waste problem," said John Hickey , Chapter Director of the Missouri Sierra Club . "We commend the Tourism and Natural Resources Committee for holding a hearing to discuss the major risks associated with dumping coal ash in Missouri . If power companies are allowed to continue dumping coal ash into ponds that are already known to leak, it is just a matter of time before Missouri becomes the next North Carolina or West Virginia ." Missouri's lax approach to coal ash disposal presents risks for communities across Missouri . In eastern Missouri , Ameren is attempting to build dangerous coal ash landfills on top of already leaking coal ash ponds. In Labadie , where utility company Ameren has done preliminary testing around a proposed coal ash landfill site, arsenic has been detected at six times the federal drinking water standard. The resolution language also acknowledges the DNR is aware that the coal ash pond at the Labadie coal plant is known to leak 50,000 gallons of toxic metal-laden water daily since 1992. "We've been living with the realities of Ameren's leaking toxic coal ash pond for decades in Labadie ," said Patricia Schuba , President of the Labadie Environmental Organization . "Polluters aren't going to take the initiative to clean up on their own. We need strong support from Missouri's leaders to protect our water." Elsewhere in the state, KCP&L in Kansas City sends coal ash to an abandoned mine for underground pumping. City Utilities in Springfield used Missouri legislation to avoid an environmental review process of potential coal ash waste disposal sites. "Our water and our health cannot be sacrificed for polluters' bottom lines," said Dr. Judy Dasovich , a Retired Physician from the Springfield area. "Leaky coal ash ponds and dangerous landfills put our drinking water at risk, period." Last month, the Sierra Club and the Labadie Environmental Organization delivered a letter to Governor Jay Nixon ( https://docs.google.com/a/sierraclub.org/file/d/0B-1TEdRiQom-ejRac1JkUjg4N0k/edit?pli=1 ) urging a halt to the permitting of all proposed coal ash dumps in Missouri until the state conducts a thorough investigation of groundwater impacts. TNS 24HariRad-140314-30FurigayJane-4666711 30FurigayJane http://www.energycentral.com/functional/news/news_detail.cfm?did=31830802& |