Harrisburg, PA-- The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) hosted a public hearing today officially marking the close of the comment period on the updated water permit for the Brunner Island coal-fired power plant. Dozens of local residents and organizations urged the DEP to strengthen protections in the draft permit, forcing the plant to stop discharging toxic pollutants now instead of allowing a four to six year grace period to comply with the updated limits.
The plant, located on the Susquehanna River in York County, south of Harrisburg, has been a consistent polluter of both Pennsylvania’s air and water. The plant has been proven to dump toxins into the Susquehanna River, which provides drinking water for more than six million people and is one of the nation’s premier smallmouth bass fisheries.
In a statement, Patrick Grenter, Senior Campaign Representative for the Sierra Club said:
“Allowing Talen to continue polluting the Susquehanna for the next four to six years only furthers the damage done to one of our most critical waterways. The DEP must direct Talen Energy to halt the discharge of contaminated wastewater - as this unpermitted pollution is in violation of the Clean Water Act. Groundwater at Brunner Island has repeatedly violated drinking water standards as contaminants associated with coal ash waste such as arsenic, manganese, iron, and boron, have been documented in the groundwater and surface water around the plant. Brunner Island has the ability to stop the discharge of harmful pollutants and protect our waterways today. It’s time for the DEP to stop dragging it’s feet and update the plant’s water permit now.”
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