WOODBRIDGE, Va. — A battle is heating up over plans to send treated wastewater and stormwater from a power plant into local waterways.
The Possum Point Power Station in Dumfries, Virginia, stopped burning coal more than a decade ago and now runs on oil and natural gas.
In January, Dominion Virginia Power was granted a permit to drain the plant’s coal ash ponds into Quantico Creek, which flows into the Potomac.
Coal ash, the stuff that’s left over after burning coal, often contains toxic metals.
But Thomas Faha with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality says all laws regarding treatment of the coal ash ponds are being followed.
“We have put limits and conditions into those permits in accordance necessary to protect water quality standards,” he told the Prince William County Board of Supervisors this week.
Faha says the wastewater discharge is expected to happen by this summer.
“We approximate that that’s about 150 million gallons, and when Dominion begins that process, the estimate is up to two months — 45 to 60 days — to discharge that water.”
Residents and environmentalists are still very worried, and several spoke before the Board of Supervisors.
“We are very concerned, in fact I’m sure you’re well aware, Potomac Riverkeeper Network has filed an appeal on the permit,” said Dean Naujoks with the network.
Several other legal challenges are expected.
Marty Gary is a fisheries biologist and Executive Secretary for the Potomac River Fisheries Commission.
“Our perspective is, we don’t want to see one drop of discharge going into Quantico Creek,” he said, suggesting Dominion evaporate the water on site and truck the ash away instead.
Joanne Alvey lives on Possum Point Road near the power station.
“I wrote a letter to request that our board of county supervisors and our state legislator develop the means to promulgate some laws so that Dominion would use more modern and a safer way to dispose of the coal ash.”
