Hazardous Waste News Brief (HQ): EPA Alerts W.Va. and Ohio Officials of Potential Concerns about AEP Coal Ash Impoundment
*CONTACT: *Latisha Petteway petteway.latisha@epa.gov 202-564-3191 202-564-4355 *FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE *Oct. 29, 2009 *EPA Alerts W.Va. and Ohio Officials of Potential Concerns about AEP Coal Ash Impoundment ** **WASHINGTON** *- As part of an ongoing comprehensive review of dam integrity of coal ash impoundment sites nationwide, EPA has alerted West Virginia public officials and first responders that an impoundment at American Electric Power's (AEP) Philip Sporn facility requires additional safety testing. While EPA does not believe the impoundment's dam is at immediate risk of failure given the information we currently have, out of an abundance of caution the agency has notified W.Va. and Ohio officials of the need for further testing to fully determine the impoundment's integrity. AEP has committed to submitting a plan to carry out the safety tests. That plan will be provided to EPA on Monday, November 2. EPA will oversee the testing and use all necessary authority to assure the safety of the facility. Following the failure of an impoundment at the TVA facility in Kingston, Tenn., in December 2008, EPA has been conducting on-site evaluations at electric utilities nationwide to determine the impoundments' structural integrity. As part of that effort, EPA contractors identified factors at the AEP Philip Sporn facility that are similar to the Kingston facility - specifically, both facilities piled coal ash and bottom ash around the impoundment to raise the impoundment's walls. To ensure the impoundment's stability, EPA is requiring AEP to conduct two tests: a liquefaction test to determine if the foundation will become unstable under certain pressures, and a slope stability test to determine if the impoundment's embankment will fail under certain pressures. The assessment of AEP's Philip Sporn facility was conducted as part of the agency's nationwide assessment of surface impoundments at electric utilities following the coal ash release at Tennessee Valley Authority's Kingston, Tenn. facility. To date, EPA has completed reports on assessments of 22 facilities. More information on the coal ash assessments: http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/industrial/special/fossil/surveys2/index.htm#surveyresults Members of the public who are seeking additional information should call 800-438-2474. R320 Note: If a link above doesn't work, please copy and paste the URL into a browser. View all news releases related to hazardous waste [ http://service.govdelivery.com/service/edition.html?code=USAEPA_20&format=Web&email_type=bulletin ] [ http://service.govdelivery.com/service/edition.html?code=USAEPA_20&format=Web&email_type=bulletin ] ________________________________________________________________________ EPA Seal You can view or update your subscriptions or e-mail address at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page [ https://service.govdelivery.com/service/user.html?code=USAEPA ]. All you will need is your e-mail address. If you have any questions or problems e-mail support@govdelivery.com for assistance. This service is provided to you at no charge by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [ http://www.epa.gov/ ]. Fight Flu with Facts! Visit flu.gov. Call 800-232-4636. Text FLU to 87000. [ http://www.flu.gov/?s_cid=fluGov_buttonCampaign_003 ] Sent by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency . 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW . Washington DC 20460 . 202-564-4355