In the United States, we often burn coal to produce electricity, which produces ash as waste. The ash contains highly toxic substances and compounds that can lead to contaminated water in our water sources.
North Carolina and it’s surrounding areas have seen these risks firsthand on several occasions. In 2008, millions of pounds of coal ash spilled out of a containment area in East Tennessee. Then last year, another spill occurred along the Dan River in North Carolina.
In response to these catastrophes, federal lawmakers recently passed a bill that would eliminate some of the rules that regulate the containment of coal ash. According to 12 News Now, the bill gives states the power to regulate the disposal of coal ash, but fails to limit how close coal ash containment sites can be to clean water sources. The new bill also offers protection to the power industry from coal ash being labeled as hazardous.
President Obama has stated he plans to veto the bill in favor of established Environmental Protection Agency laws and regulations, but no action has been taken yet.
At HensonFuerst, we are aware of the serious risks contaminated water can pose to our state’s citizens, and our North Carolina toxic exposure lawyers are anxious to see how this story unfolds.