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August 30, 2010

Groups say coal-ash site in Oklahoma tainting water

CNHI

CHICKASHA — TULSA (AP) — Three environmental groups say a coal-ash disposal site in Oologah is contaminating groundwater in the area.

A report released Thursday by the Environmental Integrity Project, Earthjustice and the Sierra Club say the groundwater under American Electric Power-Public Service Co. of Oklahoma's Northeastern Station is contaminated with has arsenic and heavy metals.

AEP-PSO governmental and environmental affairs manager Bud Ground said the company is aware of the contamination and that corrective measures should be in place by next summer.

He said the report uses data compiled by the company from its onsite water-monitoring wells, but makes its own assumptions that there is a plume of heavy-metal-laden water threatening nearby drinking supplies.

"There's no indication of any contamination offsite that is impacting any private or public water well," he said.

Ground added that company officials are well-aware of the elevated levels of heavy metals on-site.

He said they are working with the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality on a study that will determine the nature and extent of contamination. Corrective measures should be in place by the end of next summer, he said.

Coal ash - also known as fly ash, is a by-product of coal-fired power plants and has been dumped at the Oologah plant since 1978.

It was only in 2008, however, that the groundwater monitors were installed. Ground said they were required as part of an agreement with the DEQ.

Ground said that as much as 90 percent of the fly ash created at the plant leaves the site to be used in road material or other beneficial uses.

According to the report, six private wells are used for drinking water in Oologah and three public drinking water wells are within a five-mile radius of the plant.  

Julie Hendrix, office manager for Rogers County Rural Water District 4, which supplies water for Oologah, and Talala, said the district has had no heavy metal problems.

 

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