Marylanders Ask MDE to Stop Coal Plants from Polluting Their Water

Beallsville, MD--Today the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) hosted the second of three hearings this week allowing for public comments on their proposals to update water pollution permits for the Morgantown, Dickerson, and Chalk Point coal-fired power plants. The Sierra Club with local residents and allied organizations spoke out for stronger protections to keep coal waste and toxins out of the Chesapeake Bay and Maryland’s drinking water.

Tim Whitehouse, Executive Director of Chesapeake Physicians for Social Responsibility, said:

"The Dickerson coal-fired power plant is operating with an outdated, expired water pollution permit. As a result, the Dickerson plant continues to dump lead, arsenic, mercury and other toxic pollutants into the Potomac River at an alarming rate. The Maryland Department of the Environment should update and strengthen the Dickerson permit so that it strictly limits toxic discharges into the Potomac River."

Emily Ranson,  Maryland Program Coordinator with Clean Water Action, said:

"We cannot continue to allow power plants to dump toxic pollutants into the water that we drink, where we play, and from which we fish. Marylanders are relying on MDE to hold these power plants accountable and to stop them from dumping their toxic waste into our rivers."

Phillip Musegaas, Vice President for Programs and Litigation with Potomac Riverkeeper Network, said:

“Maryland environmental regulators have a legal and moral responsibility to require strict standards limiting the discharge of toxic coal pollution into the Potomac River in order to protect public health and our environment.  As clean water advocates for the Potomac we will do everything in our power to ensure that Dickerson invests in affordable, available technology to make this happen.”

Patrick Grenter, Senior Campaign Representative for the Chesapeake Bay at the Sierra Club said:

“It’s time for MDE to update Chalk Point, Dickerson and Morgantown’s water pollution safeguards. For years these three coal plants have been dumping toxic pollutants such as arsenic, lead, and mercury into the Chesapeake Bay, as well as the Patuxent and Potomac Rivers, polluting drinking water and making it unsafe to eat fish and crabs. Marylanders want MDE to step up and protect their right to clean water, and the time to do it is now. ”