ATLANTA, GA.—The Sierra Club today served a notice of intent to sue Georgia Power to block the company’s plan to drain its ash ponds at 11 coal-burning power plant sites without getting updated permits that would protect waterways and the public’s health.
Georgia Power has stored toxic coal ash in multiple, unlined ponds for decades and now plans to close them. As part of that process, the utility proposes to drain wastewater from these ponds into Georgia’s lakes and rivers, despite not having valid permits allowing such pollution.
Coal ash contains arsenic, mercury, selenium, chromium and lead—all of which can pose serious risks to human health, wildlife and the environment.
Georgia Power hasn’t released complete plans for how the ponds will be drained, but has said some water may be reused at each plant. But otherwise, toxic water from the coal ash ponds will be treated and discharged into public waters over the next several years.
In response to today’s filing, Stephen Stetson, senior representative for the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign in Georgia, released the following statement:
“Today’s filing puts Georgia Power on notice that we’ll fight to make sure they adhere to the critical public health protections in the Clean Water Act before they start pumping water from these toxic coal ash ponds into our lakes and rivers.
“They shouldn’t be allowed to drain millions of gallons of coal ash wastewater into waterways without making certain there’s no risk to communities who fish, swim, and drink from these waters—and the company should also be transparent about how they’ll ensure our waterways are safe for Georgia’s families, children and environment.”
###
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is the country’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters nationwide. In addition to creating opportunities for people of all ages, levels and locations to have meaningful outdoor experiences, the Sierra Club works to safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and litigation. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.