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Tag: toxic spill

  • Coal Ash Spill Now Subject To Criminal Probe

    The Associated Press is now reporting that the coal ash spill into a North Carolina river is now the subject of a federal investigation.

    The spill, which was discovered on February 2nd, resulted in tons of toxic materials seeping into the nearby Dan River. Somehow the coal ash had managed to escape a Duke Energy containment basin. The company waited nearly two days to inform the public.

    Federal prosecutors have stated that a federal grand jury in Raleigh, N.C. is currently investigating the case.

    In the aftermath of the coal ash spill both North Carolina regulators and Duke Energy have been served subpoenas by the U.S. attorneys office.

    The L.A. Times was able to view the contents of the subpoena on Thursday and have said that the document includes thirteen separate requests for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to hand over documents related to the spill.
    The Times said this includes all emails, memos and other recorded information about, “discharges or seepages from any coal ash pond”.

    The subpoena also requested the state agency’s records of its involvement with Duke Energy going as far back as 2010.

    Duke Energy received a subpoena on Monday as well according to spokesperson Thomas C. Williams. Williams declined to comment on the contents of the subpoena, saying that the information was confidential.

    Both Duke Energy and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources have stated that the organizations fully intend to comply with the wishes of investigators and have offered their full cooperation.

    As of right now, the investigation is criminal in nature, with the spill said to be the result of a felony offense. The exact offense or target of the criminal investigation is not known at this time.

    It has been revealed that water contamination may be older than the most recent spill. In fact the Waterkeeper Alliance has attempted to sue Duke Energy in the past over suspected contamination. Peter Harrison, a lawyer who has represented the Waterkeeper Alliance, says that it’s very likely the company has been contaminating water in the surrounding area for years.

    “The day of reckoning has come,” Harrison says. “It’s high time this activity by the state is examined through a criminal lens, because this is criminal behavior.”

    The fact that this is one of four known major toxic spills in the region within a matter of weeks is also troubling.

    Image via Youtube

  • Colorado Floods: Latest Reports Show Toxic Spillage

    The latest reports from Colorado on the flooding damage are indicative that we have gone from the “worst flood in a century” stage to the “environmental catastrophe” stage. The Colorado Springs Gazette reported yesterday that state regulators are working with gas and oil industry workers to assess exactly how many of Weld County wells are leaking toxic sludge. Locals are pessimistic because there are 20,554 active oil and gas wells in Weld County, representing over a third of all wells in Colorado.

    ThinkProgress is reporting that the floods have completely overwhelmed the oil and gas infrastructure. Apparently, fracking fluids and gasoline can join the list of toxic chemicals released by the floods, right next to pesticides and human wastewater.

    Mark Salley, a spokesman for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, said that “Many contaminants, such as raw sewage, as well as potential releases of chemicals from homes, businesses and industry, may be contained in the floodwaters… People are encouraged to stay out of the water as much as possible, and wash frequently with warm water and soap if they do come in contact with contaminated water.”

    Although industry workers are working on unspecified remedies, that didn’t stop environmental watchdog groups that were locally monitoring fracking practices from saturating the social media world with images featuring flooded wells, busted chemical holding tanks and wastewater escaping into the surrounding area.

    Cliff Willmeng, the spokesman for East Boulder County United, a local environmental group, said on Monday that “hundreds, if not thousands of wells [are] underwater right now and we have no idea what those wells are leaking… it’s very clear they are leaking into the floodwaters though.”

    The executive director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, Mike King, told the Denver Post that the scale is unprecedented… we will have to deal with environmental contamination from whatever source.” King added that the possible contaminants would be a stew of oil field pollution, agricultural pesticide, sewage and gasoline. No mention from him of fracking fluids, but they’re certain to be included in the floodwater stew.

    Water and debris from the floods has already damaged the above-ground fracking instruments that hold the chemical fluids used in natural gas drilling, called condensate tanks. Willmeng, speaking about the damage, said “Because the condensate tanks are either halfway empty or halfway full, they’re the pieces of infrastructure that are being torn off their anchors… So you’re seeing these things that are strewn about the flood areas and some are filled up, some are knocked over, and some are completely washed away.”

    If you want to see some of the photos, East Boulder County United’s Facebook page has some good ones.

    [Image via the East Boulder County United Facebook page]