Contact: David Merryman, Catawba Riverkeeper, 704‐770‐5530 Bill Gupton, Central Piedmont Group of NC Sierra Club, 704‐367‐0068 Katie Hicks, Clean Water for NC, 828‐251‐1291 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE STATE HEARING APPROACHES FOR SURFACE WATER DISCHARGES AT DUKE
ENERGY’S THREE COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS
October 13, 2010 (Charlotte, NC) - North Carolina’s Division of Water Quality will hold a public
hearing in Mooresville, NC at the Charles Mack Citizen Center regarding draft surface water
discharge permits for Duke Energy’s three coal-fired power plants along the Catawba River on
October 19, 2010 at 7:00pm. These facilities include Marshall Steam Station on Lake Norman,
Riverbend Steam Station on Mountain Island Lake and Allen Steam Station on Lake Wylie. The
pollution discharge permits include waters from cooling water systems, coal ash ponds and yard
sump overflows.
“Unlike any proposed federal regulations from the EPA, this state permitting decision can produce
change on a local level that will protect our drinking water from coal ash wastes and thermallypolluted water immediately.” said Catawba Riverkeeper David Merryman.
Environmental groups and activists across the state are calling for the NC Division of Water Quality
to issue permits that regulate the concentrations of heavy metals discharged in coal ash wastes, phase
out existing coal ash ponds, develop drinking water contingency plans in case of ash pond failures
and reduce the impacts of thermal pollution from these three facilities.
“The Catawba River Basin faces the most serious threats from thermal pollution of any river in the
state. Hot discharges can have devastating effects on fish and cause water loss through evaporation,
a threat to water supply for downstream communities. Allen Steam Station routinely discharges
cooling waters exceeding 110°F without violating its permit! We need the Division of Water Quality
to step up and set strict daily temperature limits for these facilities to protect aquatic life and
downstream water supplies,” stated Katie Hicks, Water Justice Organizer with Clean Water for NC.
“The science clearly shows that thermal pollution and heavy metal discharge are not being controlled
by the current regulations. This is an excellent opportunity for the citizens our community to call for
enhanced regulations of these facilities to protect one of our greatest resources, the Catawba River.”
said Bill Gupton, Chair of Central Piedmont Group of the NC Chapter of the Sierra Club.
Citizens interested in providing comments at the hearing are requested to register at the hearing with
registration beginning at 6:00pm. If oral comments exceed three minutes, three copies of the oral
remarks should be submitted for the record. Written comments will also be accepted during this
hearing or can be submitted via email to Sergei Chernikov, [email protected] through
October 19.
“It’s outrageous that our state has allowed Duke Energy to discharge unlimited amounts of heavy
metals and super-heated water into our lakes for decades. It’s time for North Carolina’s Department
of Environment and Natural Resources to protect North Carolina’s Environment and Natural
Resources, not the profits of coal-based utility companies,” concluded Merryman.
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Draft permits for these facilities can be found on the Division’s public calendar at
http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/wq/event-calendar/ under Notice Date 2010-09-13.
C. David Merryman, Catawba Riverkeeper
Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation, Inc.
704-770-5530; [email protected]
Bill Gupton, Chair Central Piedmont Group
NC Chapter of the Sierra Club
704-367-0068; [email protected]
Katie Hicks, Water Justice Organizer
Clean Water for North Carolina
828-251-1291; [email protected]
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