"EPA To Add New Rule on Power Plant Discharges"

"After decades of inaction, the federal government in September will release its second major rule affecting coal ash from power plants in less than a year.

Last December, the Environmental Protection Agency released the first federal rules on ash disposal. This month, the agency will set the first federal limits on toxic metals – mostly from ash – in wastewater discharges from power plants.

The rule is significant, but its reach will be limited. Most utilities, including Duke Energy, are moving to dry-handling of ash that avoids discharges. Ponds that store ash in wet form and drain to rivers and lakes are being phased out in North Carolina.

The hazards of ash leaped to public attention early last year with Duke’s spill into the Dan River. Many metals in ash, such as arsenic and mercury, accumulate in the environment for years once released."

Bruce Henderson reports for the Charlotte Observer September 7, 2015.