The Coastal Conservation League held a public meeting concerning coal-ash and groundwater contamination concerns that stem from a now-closed Robinson power plant in Hartsville.
Up until Wednesday, there were questions surrounding duke energy and will it remove the coal ash from the Robinson plant.”
However on Thursday, Duke Energy Progress announced it will excavate and relocate the coal ash to an on-site, lined landfill.
A number of community members, county and city officials, along with a representative from duke energy progress attended Thursday’s meeting.
The coastal conservation league put together the meeting to inform the public of what’s been going on and to tell residents the utility’s new plans.
“It is discouraging that this wasn’t dealt with earlier and that the public wasn’t informed about what was going on in this community…but we always have to believe in redemption and it’s good when somebody recognizes a mistake a corrects it,” mentioned Frank Holleman, Senior Attorney for the Southern Environmental Law Center.
“We’re happy that Duke Energy made the decision to remove the coal ash. All I would say is that we are going to have to watch this very, very closely. It’s not over until it’s over,” said Nancy Cave, who is a part of the Coastal Conservation League
Duke Energy says it plans to build a new landfill to store the 4.2 million tons of coal ash at the Hartsville site.
The utility says it wants to close the ash basins and put the material in a landfill lined with synthetic and natural barriers.
It says it will provide plans to state regulators by the end of November.
