Dear Friends,
If you were ever going to take action on coal ash in Virginia this is the most important week over the past two years to do it. So please take a moment to read below. First and foremost, if you have not taken action and gone on record with Prince William County and DEQ that you oppose Dominion's Solid Waste Permit please take a minute to please do it now! Please take a moment to circulate this email to your friends.IT TAKES ONE MINUTE!!
Keep in mind this is the first coal ash solid waste permit for land filling toxic coal ash ever proposed in the state of Virginia. This permit will establish a precedent for the entire state of Virginia on how all other coal ash ponds are managed in the future. We must stop this plan, which does not require an EPA approved liner system and ignores EPA requirements (assessment and corrective action) once groundwater contamination has been detected, which is the case for all Dominion coal ash ponds. Our action alert will put people on record with DEQ opposing this plan and ask Prince William County leadership to step up and demand alternatives like recycling of ash & clean closure options that many other southern states are requiring for their leaking, unlined coal ash ponds. To date, more than 75 million tons of toxic coal ash has been cleaned up or has been committed for clean up in NC, SC and Georgia. Why should Virginia be treated like second class citizens and have to live near toxic ash ponds that threaten drinking water supplies and our communities?
TODAY:
T
he coal ash assessment bill (SB1398) is out of the Senate and it has now has crossed over to the House. It will be heard in a House Agricultural Subcommittee TODAY
Monday, February 13 at 4:30pm. !
TUESDAY:
Attend the Prince William County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, February 14 at 2pm and again at 7:30pm and express support for a special use permit or
take appropriate action under its zoning authority t
hat requires Dominion to consider all alternatives for cleaning up Possum Point, including excavation and recycling for concrete.
THURSDAY: MOST IMPORTANT!! PLEASE ATTEND, BRING A FRIEND!!: Attend Virginia Department of Environmental Quality Public Hearing Thursday, February 16, 7pm, 3401 Panther Pride Drive, Dumfries, VA. Demand "clean closure" of Possum Point.
A recent poll showed 80 % of Prince William County Residents want Prince William County to exercise its zoning authority and demand alternatives like recycling of ash & clean closure options as EPA rules require. Citizens have encouraged the county to require Dominion to apply for a special use or conditional use permit.
Dominion recently challenged a local ordinance passed by the City of Chesapeake that would, if certain conditions are satisfied, require a conditional use permit from the City for a coal ash landfill owed by Dominion. On January 27, the circuit court upheld the City's authority to enact this ordinance. Relying in part on cases from the Virginia Supreme Court that make it clear that localities have an important role in the siting and regulation of landfills, the court rejected Dominion's argument that the City was pre-empted from regulating this coal ash landfill by state law.
We believe the county can require a special use or conditional use permit and take appropriate action under its zoning authority to ensure that alternatives to Dominion's closure plan for the ash ponds at Possum Point are carefully and fully evaluated. These alternatives must include ash recycling for concrete and a careful, informed decision about how best to deal with the 4 million tons of waste ash at Possum Point that will protect groundwater, the Potomac River, Quantico Creek, and our citizens from coal ash pollution.
Please share with your friends to state their opposition to Dominion's coal ash plan and solid waste permit, which will allow leaking coal ash ponds to continue to leak into the Potomac and threaten drinking water supplies indefinitely. I have also provided a link from a new Duke University study showing fish are being contaminated with selenium from leaking coal ash ponds, which poses a serious public health risk. Quantico Creek is already impaired from metals. This portion of the Potomac River is a prime spawning ground for striped bass. Please take action and share with all your friends. Still have not taken action? Here you go!
FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO TAKE ACTION TODAY: http://www.potomacriver keepernetwork.org/take-action- 1/2017/2/1/coalash-actionalert
See attached study from Duke University about selenium in fish in lakes impacted by NC coal ash.
THANKS FOR TAKING ACTION ON COAL ASH!! SORRY FOR ANY CROSS POSTINGS.
Dean Naujoks, Potomac Riverkeeper
Potomac Riverkeeper Network Inc.
Enforcing Clean Water Laws for a fishable, swimmable, drinkable Potomac River
1615 M Street N.W., 2nd Floor
Washington, DC 20036
ph 202-429-2603 (main) * ph 202-556-2926 (direct) * fax 703-997-7302
dean@potomacriverkeeper.org * www.prknetwork.org
Facebook – Twitter – Donate
Selected for the 2014/15 Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington
Washington, DC 20036
ph 202-429-2603 (main) * ph 202-556-2926 (direct) * fax 703-997-7302
dean@potomacriverkeeper.org * www.prknetwork.org
Facebook – Twitter – Donate
Selected for the 2014/15 Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington
