Hatfield's Ferry & Coal Combustion Waste

A Pennsylvania coal plant installed pollution controls that will lead to cleaner air emissions—but much dirtier water discharges. The wastewater is laden with heavy metals including arsenic, cadmium, mercury, selenium, copper, hexavalent chromium, lead and thallium that are toxic to people as well as fish and wildlife.

Clients

Attorneys

Abigail Dillen

Regional Office / Program

Case Overview

Reducing air pollution from coal-fired power plants is an absolutely essential environmental aim, but it’s a red herring if the pollutants just end up in another waste stream. At the Hatfield’s Ferry coal plant in Pennsylvania, new air pollution scrubbers remove pollutants from the plant’s smokestack emissions, but Allegheny Energy Supply Co.—the plant’s owners—propose to dump the scrubber waste into the local Monongahela River.

This wastewater is laden with heavy metals including arsenic, cadmium, mercury, selenium, copper, hexavalent chromium, lead and thallium that are toxic to people as well as fish and wildlife. Cleaning up air pollution should not come at the cost of polluted water.

On behalf of conservationists and local citizens, Earthjustice is participating in administrative appeals of the Clean Water Act permit that was issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to Hatfield’s Ferry.

Hatfield's Ferry power station.
The Hatfield's Ferry plant is located along the Monongahela River that flows north from West Virginia into southwestern Pennsylvania. (Aerial image (c) 2014 Microsoft Corporation)

Case Updates

Hatfield's Ferry power station.
September 20, 2017 Press Release: Victory

New safeguards at Hatfield’s Ferry coal ash landfill

No shipments of toxic waste through December

September 20, 2017 document

Bruce Mansfield Electricity Generating Station Settlement

The Department is the executive agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with the authority and duty to administer and enforce the Pennsylvania Solid Waste Management Act, the Act of July 7, 1980, P.L. 380, as amended, 35 P.S. §§ 6018.101 -6018.1003 ("Solid Waste Management Act"); Section 1917-A of the Administrative Code of 1929, Act of April 9, 1929, P.L. 177, as amended, 71P.S.§510-17 ("Administrative Code"); and the rules and regulations ("rules and regulations") promulgated thereunder. {B3302246.l) 1

September 15, 2017 document

Active Surface Improvement Plan: Hatfield’s Ferry Coal Combustion Byproduct (CCB) Landfill

DRAFT Exhibit A to Consent Adjudication (B3269782xAB63C) Earthjustice