AEP’s Conner Run Dam is one of six coal-ash impoundments listed by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection as a high-hazard facility, meaning its failure could endanger human lives.
Last week, I wrote about both on Coal Tattoo an in the Gazette print edition about efforts by Senate Environment and Public Works Chairman Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., to have EPA identify publicly 44 “high-hazard” coal-ash impoundments located around the nation’s coalfields.
What I should have also done in those stories was point out that West Virginia’s Department of Environmental Protection had already made the locations of our state’s “high-hazard” coal-ash dams public months ago.
Brian Long, the longtime chief of dam safety for DEP, had provided that information to me, and we published a story and a Google Map of all of the state’s coal-ash impoundments (at least the ones DEP identified at the time) here.
But we did not at the time label which of those impoundments were listed as high hazard (a definition that means if the dam were to fail it could threaten human lives). So for the record, the ones classified as such were: Holz Dam in South Charleston, Scotts Run Cinder Barrier Dam near Belle, FMC Retention Dam in Spring Hill, the Conner Run Dam in Marshall County (see photo above), McElroy’s Run Dam in Pleasants County, and the Scary Creek Impoundment in Putnam County.
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ALL high-harzard impoundments are of equal concern — slurry ones should not be solely focused upon.
Professional engineers are responsible pursuant to their codes of ethics to provide additional assurances for high-hazard structures.
Among those additional assurances, in addition to more frequent inspections and safety certifications, is that Emergency Action Plans exist — these can be prepared by others, but the responsible professional engineer is to make sure of it.
As this graphic shows, that is often not done:
High Hazard Dams in US with Emergency Action Plans
http://www.swivel.com/graphs/show/27576300
The final responsibity resides with FEMA, which is known for doing a heck of a job (though its new director is extremely top-notch). http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=3122
As is said in Florida: DEP — don’t expect protection
‘rhmooney3′ is absolutely correct in saying all “high hazard” impoundments are of equal concern — be they coal SLURRY(waste from the washing of coal at preparation plants) impoundments or coal ASH (waste from the burning of coal at power plants) impoundments.
However, he seems to have missed the focus of this blog entry which was Senator Boxer’s attempt to have EPA make public the location of the 44 coal ASH impoundments classified as “high hazard.”
To see a list of the many coal SLURRY impoundments in WV and surrounding states and to review the more detailed information about the precise location, classification, size and capacity of each …. as well as read the emergency evaculation plans if available, one should really take a few moments to visit Wheeling Jesuit University’s Coal Impoundment Location and Information System website at:
http://www.coalimpoundment.org/default.asp
Cindy,
Yes, BUT the issue should all high hazard structures and all impoundments being in compliance. (Note: high-hazard has nothing to do with what’s behind the dam — coal waste slurry is not the same issue.)
Being in the high-hazard category doesn’t mean the structure is a problem or not incompliance.
The problem is structures in non-compliance — not just high-hazard structures in non-compliance.
Same goes for stream buffer zones, returning Approxminate Orginal Contour and/or alternative post-mining landuse approvals — these reguirements apply to all coal mines, not just those mines called Mountain Top Removals.
To me, it’s just plain discrimination to do selective enforcement on only certain types of mines and/or impoundments.
P.S.
13 Feb 2009 — Vicksburg, Miss. — The 2007 National Inventory of Dams (NID) database is now available at https://nid.usace.army.mil. The NID contains information on approximately 82,000 dams throughout the United States.
http://www.erdc.usace.army.mil/pls/erdcpub/www_welcome.navigation_page?tmp_next_page=5658057
It is my belief that if the countrys, coal producers and coal consumers could wait a few years coal could be removed from beneath the mountaintops without removing the mountaintops.
American technology is proceeding at a rapid pace and has already put into use auger systems that can, on a limited basis,remove coal from under overburden without removing more overburden. I can only imagine ,square augers or a type of longwall mining controlled from the outside. Don’t even think of underground burning at this time.
To remotely mine our coal would certainly greatly reduce the great damage to our streams and rivers.
Let us not allow simple human greed to preceed good common sense. The first step would be to inforce our surface mining laws.Other steps would include restoration of a lot of the damage already done.
I do fully realize that we need our coal and all the good it has done and will continue to do. Coal is still “King” and will remain so if we insist on a proper method of removal.
Not only should coal be mined responsibly but it must also be used responsibly..
I was born and raised in West Virginia and have maintained close ties with the beautiful Mountain state. West virginia is beautiful except where man has made it ugly’
sincerely Darrell Sevy
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