The James River Association commended Governor McAuliffe for his amendments to Senate Bill 1398 which, if amended as proposed, will require full assessments of coal ash ponds to be completed prior to the issuance of permits for their closure.
“These amendments provide a common sense approach to a complex issue and ensure that coal ash ponds are closed properly to safely protect Virginia’s precious water resources for the future,” said Jamie Brunkow, Lower James Riverkeeper for the James River Association.
These coal ash assessments will provide information to legislators and the Department of Environmental Quality.
“Virginia has one chance to close coal ash sites properly and we believe that the assessment process is the way to find safe solutions for the long-term storage of coal ash waste in Virginia,” said Adrienne Kotula, Policy and Government Affairs Manager for JRA.
The James River watershed is home to coal ash ponds capable of holding 5 billion gallons of coal ash stretching from the headwaters to the mouth of the river. The majority of the coal ash is stored along the banks of the river at Bremo and Chesterfield Power stations.
The Governor’s amendments will be considered and voted on by the General Assembly when it reconvenes on April 5.
Interested citizens can stay updated on this issue by signing up for the James River Association’s Action Network.
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