Coal’s Dirty Little Secret: Toxic Coal Ash in Prince George’s County.
Posted by Diana on 19 Nov 2009 | Tagged as: CCAN in the news, Coal, Maryland, climate change, mountain top removal
Today, coal’s dirty little secret is revealed in a pretty rural portion of Prince George’s County, Maryland. CCAN, Defenders of Wildlife, Patuxent Riverkeepers and Sierra Club filed a notice of its intent to sue the Mirant Corporation for toxic discharges emanating from their coal ash landfill in Brandywine, MD (aerial photo of Brandwine ash dump to the left).
State documents show high levels of heavy metal contamination in the surrounding waters that flow into the Patuxent River and threaten Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary. The Brandywine coal combustion waste (CCW) landfill contains seven million cubic yards of CCW in multiple, unlined disposal cells. Across the country, unregulated coal ash landfills are endangering local communities, wildlife habitats, and drinking water. The devastating TVA coal ash spill last year dumped one billion gallons of gray coal sludge over 300 acres of gorgeous countryside and waterways. See footage of that coal ash spill here.
Toxic coal ash is a REAL threat across the country, and we have a disposal facility right here in Prince George’s county that is leaking high levels of heavy metals into our local waterways. CCAN is challenging the coal industry’s impact on our local communities from cradle to grave this coming year in Maryland. It’s time for us to expose coal’s dirty little secret and educate citizens of Maryland on the dangers associated with our over-reliance on a coal-based energy economy. Check out the press release here.
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