Coal Ash Fact SheetProgress Energy’s Asheville Coal-Fired Power Plant

Prepared by the French Broad Riverkeeper

Progress Energy owns a 376-megawatt coal burning power plant just south of Asheville, next to the French Broad River. As part of the coal burning process, the plant produces bottom ash (the ash that falls to the bottom when coal is burned) and fly ash (the ash that is caught by the scrubbers in the smokestack). Both kinds of ash are stored in two wet ash ponds, held back by two dams, next to the plant. Coal ash is an environmental concern, because it contains an array of toxic metals, including arsenic, mercury, chromium, manganese, lead, iron, boron, and others. Many of these were dispersed through the air prior to improved technologies, such as smokestack scrubbers. Thanks to the North Carolina’s Clean Smokestack Act, the Asheville Steam Plant now has scrubbers that have significantly improved the quality of air that is discharged from the plant’s smokestacks. The scrubbers now capture the ash and other particulates from the smokestack and store this fly ash, along with other bottoms, in coal ash ponds along the French Broad River. These coal ash ponds and their dams present several concerns for nearby residents and the French Broad River. High Hazard DamsBoth of the dams at this plant are listed by the Environmental Protection Agency as two of the nation’s 44 “high hazard” dams at coal plants, meaning if the dams failed there would likely be loss of life. The dams are directly above Interstate-26 and the French Broad River, and a breach of the dams would decimate the river, the interstate, as well as many communities and homes along the river. One of these dams structural integrity was rated poor by the EPA. Ground Water ContaminationProgress Energy has voluntarily monitored groundwater around the plant for several years, and these tests revealed hundreds of exceedances of state groundwater standards (i.e. the maximum allowable concentrations of pollutants in groundwater that may be tolerated without creating a threat to human health or that would otherwise render the groundwater unsuitable for use as a drinking water source). These exceedances vary from almost twice the state standard to 189 times the standard for various pollutants, including boron, chromium, manganese, lead, and pH. This monitoring led to the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources requiring

a compliance boundary and additional monitoring wells and sampling. Three sampling dates have already revealed over 54 exceedances of state groundwater standards, at or past the compliance boundary, including exceedances for Boron, Chloride, Chromium, Iron, Manganese, Selenium, and Thallium. So far no action has been taken to remedy the source of the groundwater contamination. This groundwater contamination is problematic for two reasons. First, there is at least one, actively used drinking water well within a half mile of the plant, and the potential exists for the contamination to spread to this well. Second, the ash ponds are just over 1000 feet from the French Broad River, and groundwater contamination has been documented within 300 feet of the river. This means these toxins are likely to migrate or may have already migrated to the French Broad River. Ash DustCoal ash is consistently being blown from the ponds, and ash storage area behind the ponds, into a neighboring community. This ash coats the homes, cars, gardens, and other private property of these residents. Several people have reported increased respiratory problems since moving into this community, and tests of the ash from a window seal reveal high levels of arsenic. Surface Water and Sediment ContaminationSurface water samples taken by UNCA’s Environmental Quality Institute in 2009 from a tributary that originates on the Progress Energy property show arsenic at more than 15 times the “probable effect level” (i.e. the point at which a toxic element frequently has a negative effect on organisms). This sample is also slightly above the allowable limit for arsenic in surface water and seven times the limit for drinking water (this stream is not a drinking water source). A sediment sample, taken from the same tributary also show arsenic levels at 258 parts per million. Natural soil frequently averages 5 parts per million. Fish SamplingFish tissue samples taken by Progress Energy in the river near the plant show high levels of mercury in fish in the French Broad River. The study shows 41 of 114 fish tissue samples contained mercury levels higher than the maximum levels allowed by the state of North Carolina, with the levels ranging from just over the state maximum to over four times the maximum. All streams in North Carolina were recently classified as impaired for mercury. Some of this contamination could also be from mercury in the plant’s air emissions, which can be accumulated in fish tissue after its falls to the water. The fish with elevated levels of mercury include Smallmouth Bass, Black Redhorse, and Redbreast Sunfish.

Appendix A

Arsenic-Arsenic generally bioaccumulates in fish in the less harmful organic form. Human exposure may occur by ingesting contaminated water, soil, or air at contaminated sites.-High levels of inorganic arsenic in food or water can be fatal. Arsenic damages many tissues including nerves, stomach and intestines, and skin. Breathing high levels can give you a sore throat and irritated lungs.-Low-level exposure may lead to nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, decreased production of red and white blood cells, abnormal heart rhythm, blood vessel damage, and “pins and needles” sensations in the hands and feet.-The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has determined that arsenic is a known carcinogen. Breathing inorganic arsenic increases the risk of lung cancer. Ingesting inorganic arsenic increases the risk of skin cancer and tumors of the bladder, kidney, liver, and lung (ATSDR). http://delta-institute.org/publications/HealthImpactFS.pdf BoronWhen humans consume large amounts of boron-containing food, the boron concentrations in their bodies may rise to levels that can cause health problems. Boron can infect the stomach, liver, kidneys and brains and can eventually lead to death. When exposure to small amounts of boron takes place, irritation of the nose, throat or eyes may occur. When animals absorb large amounts of boron over a relatively long period of time through food or drinking water the male reproductive organs will be affected. When animals are exposed to boron during pregnancy their offspring may suffer from birth defects or delayed development. http://www.lenntech.com/periodic/elements/b.htm Chromium-Exposure can be through breathing contaminated air or ingesting food or water contaminated with chromium from soil or sediments. (LaMP)-The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has determined that certain chromium compounds are carcinogens. (LaMP)-Chromium can damage the lungs, and cause allergic responses in the skin or asthma attacks. (ATSDR) IronWhen high concentrations of iron are absorbed, for example by haemochromatose (iron overload disease) patients, iron is stored in the pancreas, the liver, the spleen and the heart. This may damage these vital organs. Healthy people are generally not affected by iron overdose, which is also generally rare. It may occur when one drinks water with iron concentrations over 200 ppm. Read more: http://www.lenntech.com/periodic/water/iron/iron-and water.htm#ixzz0Z1PXMoW0 ManganeseDuring the past five years, NIEHS-funded researchers at Columbia University have studied the

effects of manganese exposure on 10-year-old children in Bangladesh, where groundwater levels of the toxic metal are relatively high. Their results showed that children who received the highest doses of manganese in their drinking water had significantly lower scores on tests of intellectual function. Other studies conducted by NIEHS-supported scientists are designed to identify the underlying causes of manganese’s effects on brain function. Their research shows that manganese exposure produces the same pattern of brain cell death as that seen in PD patients. The loss of these cells results in reduction of a critical neurotransmitter called dopamine, the chemical messenger responsible for coordinated muscle movement. These insights into the impact of manganese exposure on critical brain functions will eventually pave the way for new strategies designed to protect these dopamine-producing neurons from manganese-induced damage. http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/impacts/manganese.cfm MercuryFor fetuses, infants, and children, the primary health effect of methylmercury is impaired neurological development. Methylmercury exposure in the womb, which can result from a mother's consumption of fish and shellfish that contain methylmercury, can adversely affect a baby's growing brain and nervous system. Impacts on cognitive thinking, memory, attention, language, and fine motor and visual spatial skills have been seen in children exposed to methylmercury in the womb. Recent human biological monitoring by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 1999 and 2000 (PDF) (3 pp., 42 KB, About PDF) shows that most people have blood mercury levels below a level associated with possible health effects. More recent data from the CDC support this general finding.

Outbreaks of methylmercury poisonings have made it clear that adults, children, and developing fetuses are at risk from ingestion exposure to methylmercury. During these poisoning outbreaks some mothers with no symptoms of nervous system damage gave birth to infants with severe disabilities, it became clear that the developing nervous system of the fetus may be more vulnerable to methylmercury than is the adult nervous system.

For more information on fish consumption advisories across the country, visit EPA's fish consumption web pages.

In addition to the subtle impairments noted above, symptoms of methylmercury poisoning may include; impairment of the peripheral vision; disturbances in sensations ("pins and needles" feelings, usually in the hands, feet, and around the mouth); lack of coordination of movements; impairment of speech, hearing, walking; and muscle weakness. People concerned about their exposure to methylmercury should consult their physician. http://www.epa.gov/mercury/effects.htm

Appendix B

Works Cited: Birge, WJ. “Aquatic Toxicology of Trace Elements of Coal and Fly Ash” Energy and Environmental Stress in Aquatic Systems, Selected Papers from a Symposium, held at Augusta, Georgia November 2-4, 1977. CONF-771114 (1978) p 219-240. Carlson, CL and Adriano, DC. “Environmental Impacts of Coal Combustion Residues” Environ Qual 22 (1993) p. 227-247 (web) March 30, 2010. Cherry, D.S. and Guthrie, R.K. “Toxic Metals in Surface Waters from Coal Ash” JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association. Volume 13 Issue 6, (2007) p. 1227 – 1236. Cox, James, Lundquist, Gary, Przyjazny, Andrzej, and Schmulbach, David. “Leaching of boron from coal ash” Environ. Sci. Technology 12 (6) (1978) p. 722–723. Dewan, Sheila. “Hundreds of Coal Ash Dumps Lack Regulation” New York Times. January 6th 2009. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/07/us/07sludge.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2 Theis, TL and Gardner, KH. “Environmental Assessment of Ash Disposal” Critical Reviews in Environmental Control, Vol. 20, No. 1 (1991) p. 21-42, 1991