Emily Bosch emily.bosch@sierraclub.org
ATLANTA, GA— Today, the Sierra Club appealed the Georgia Public Service Commission's decision to award Georgia Power $525 million to clean up decades-worth of coal ash contamination.
The PSC issued its final order in Georgia Power’s 2019 rate case on Feb. 6, allowing Georgia Power to pass on coal ash costs to ratepayers, despite the company's failure to provide detailed cost accounting.
According to the appeal, Georgia Power customers shouldn't pay for the costs at least until Georgia's Environmental Protection Division (EPD) has formally approved proposed ash pond closure plans and issued permits.
Georgia Power has received a permit to close just one of its 29 coal ash basins, and while it has proposed to excavate 19 of those 29 basins, those 19 basins represent less than half of its total coal ash, leaving nearly 47 million tons of pollution in unlined coal ash basins near Georgia’s waterways.
Toxic coal ash has been and will continue to leach into groundwater, polluting well water, lakes, and rivers used for drinking, fishing, and recreation. Public health risks associated with coal ash are significant and well-documented. Coal ash sites contain some of the most dangerous known toxic chemicals on earth—like arsenic, lead, mercury, and chromium—which raise the risk for cancer, heart disease, and stroke, and can inflict permanent brain damage on children.
Stephen Stetson, senior campaign representative for the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign in Georgia, released the following statement:
“Mountains of coal ash leaking into Georgia waters is a serious problem that our utility and our Public Service Commission decided to punt. Communities all over Georgia near coal plants and waste sites experience the harmful effects of pollution, such as contaminated drinking water, and folks are getting louder and louder about their anger. There is growing agreement that Georgia Power should have lawful permits in hand for full cleanup of its coal ash basins before customers have to pay higher power bills.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.