KDKA photo of existing
Little Blue Run coal-ash pond.

A new study by Environmental Integrity Project/Earthjustice/Sierra Club shows that 39 additional coal-ash dump sites in 21 states that are contaminating drinking water or surface water with arsenic and other heavy metals. At every one of the coal ash dump sites equipped with groundwater monitoring wells, concentrations of heavy metals such as arsenic or lead exceed federal health-based standards for drinking water, with concentrations at Hatfield’s Ferry site in Greene County, PA, reaching as high as 341 times the federal standard for arsenic. The other Pennsylvania site listed in the study is the Bruce Mansfield (aka Little Blue) site in Beaver County.

This new study arrives in time for a public hearing to be held by the US Environmental Protection Agency here in Pittsburgh:

Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Omni William Penn Hotel,
530 William Penn Place,
Pittsburgh, PA 15219

The hearing is one of several held around the country for public comment on the proposed rule related to Disposal of Coal Combustion Residuals from Electric Utilities. The hearing will be an all-day affair, with morning, afternoon and evening sessions, starting at 10:00 a.m. and ending at 9:00 p.m. or later depending on the number of speakers.

Speakers will have three minutes to present their views. The form for the required Pre-Registration is available on the EPA website. Preregistration guarantees you time to speak. While not required, the EPA also urges persons planning to attend or submit a written statement at a hearing to preregister. This will help the EPA improve its planning of the hearings.

For more information, contact Randy Francisco at 412-802-6161 or randy dot francisco at sierraclub dot org.

Railroad bridge in the back, old turnpike bridge in the middle, new bridge in front
Photo courtesy of MPD01605

Following the demolition of the old Turnpike bridge across the Allegheny River at Harmar and Plum in mid-July, Allegheny County decided not to take ownership of the piers for possible construction of a hike/bike trail bridge across the river in the future.

On August 9 the piers were scheduled to be demolished. However, former Allegheny County Council Member-at-Large David Fawcett contacted Turnpike Commission CEO Joseph Brimmeier and persuaded the CEO to halt demolition and retain ownership of the piers for a couple of years. This delay will allow Allegheny County to decide if they indeed want to eventually construct a trail bridge across the river.

Thanks to Mr. Fawcett deserves our thanks, as do all who wrote to County Executive Dan Onorato.

A bill to apply more protective stormwater standards to publicly funded development was unanimously voted out of committee by City Council on July 21. This significant step towards further “greening” of Pittsburgh will hopefully set a high standard for other municipalities. Following guidelines for new Federal buildings, it will prevent 1.5 inches of rainfall from leaving the property of a new development, and it will require the use of the most innovative stormwater management tools.

The 9-0 vote came after weeks of hearings and legislation amendment. At the July 21 meeting final statements in support of the legislation were made by the Clean Water Action, GASP, Pittsburgh United, Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network, Sierra Club, UFCW, and Women for a Healthy Environment.

Tom Hoffman opens June 1 Clean Water press conference with Council members Rudiak, Peduto, and Shields.

This is the second part of the Economic Development Reform campaign organized by Pittsburgh United, a coalition of community, environmental, and faith-based groups. The first part established prevailing wages for publicly-funded development. The next part will be a Clean Air bill for diesel emissions on building sites.

Former Allegheny County Council Member-at-Large David Fawcett has drawn our attention to the possible preservation of Allegheny River bridge piers for a future biking/hiking trail bridge. Letters supporting this idea should go to County Executive Onorato (see below).

Railroad bridge in the back, old turnpike bridge in the middle, new bridge in front
Photo courtesy of MPD01605
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Photo courtesy of wdhdmd on TrailLink.com

The Three Rivers Heritage Trail is a spectacular bicycle and pedestrian pathway that runs for 22 miles along both banks of the Monongahela, Allegheny and Ohio rivers. Last month the Friends of the Riverfront announced that the Secretary of the Department of the Interior had designated the trail system as a National Recreation Trail. Congratulations to the Friends, and happy hiking and biking to all. See a trail map on TrailLink.com.

Those wishing to place stronger safeguards on Pennsylvania’s streams and drinking water saw a significant victory last week. At issue were two new rules drafted by the DEP: the requirement of a 150 foot buffer zone for Exceptional Value and High Quality streams and a regulation requiring treatment of Marcellus shale wastewater. Approval of these new rules was required of the five-member Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC). The IRRC met on June 17 and heard testimony from DEP Secretary Hangar, representatives of the building and gas drilling industries on the one hand, and environmentalists, the Fish & Boat Commission, and a water authority on the other. The final votes were 4-1 in favor of each new rule. The final step in this process will be a review of the rules by the House and Senate Environmental Resources Committees.

A special thanks is due to all who contacted their members in the state legislature.

Image courtesy of GASP

Pittsburgh residents need to send a strong message to their Council members calling for new environmental regulations for publicly supported development in the city. Please attend the following:

Thursday, July 1
1:00 pm, Press Conference
1:30 pm, Public Hearing
Fifth Floor, City County Building
414 Grant Street, Pittsburgh

This is part of the Pittsburgh United campaign to reform publicly-funded development in Pittsburgh. For summaries of the two pieces of legislation see below: (more…)

Tom Hoffman opens June 1 press conference with Council members Rudiak, Peduto, and Shields.

With Pittsburgh chosen as this year’s national site for the UN World Environmental Day June 5, it was appropriate for Councilman Bill Peduto to introduce Clean Air – Clean Water bills in Council on June 1. The two pieces of legislation are the second part of the Pittsburgh UNITED coalition’s Economic Development Reform legislative package.

Speaking at a press conference preceding the Council meeting were co-sponsors Bruce Kraus, Natalia Rudiak, and Doug Shields. In addition, leaders from community groups, unions, and environmental organizations spoke in support of the legislation that will deal with diesel emissions at construction sites and storm water run-off. Details of the legislation are provided below, and we also have a photo gallery from the press conference.

WE NEED TWO MORE VOTES IN COUNCIL

TO PASS THIS IMPORTANT LEGISLATION.

If you are a resident of Pittsburgh and your member of Council is Darlene Harris, Theresa Kail-Smith, Daniel Lavelle, Patrick Dowd or Rev. Ricky Burgess, then PLEASE URGE THEM TO SUPPORT THE CLEAN AIR-CLEAN WATER LEGISLATION. (more…)

Photo: Earthjustice
The Mon River passing
through Pittsburgh.

According to a report by American Rivers, the booming Marcellus Shale “gas rush” is endangering the Monongahela River in Pennsylvania. Our local river is ranked ninth among the ten most endangered rivers in the nation. Topping the list is the upper Delaware River, with both the Mon and Delaware being threatened by Marcellus Shale drilling operations.

The irony of the drilling threat is that the Mon is healthier now than it has been for at least a hundred years. In a recent column, Brian O’Neill talked about the return of mussels to our rivers, and local fishermen cautiously acknowledge that the Mon is better. But they are worried about the future.

The summary for the Mon River report reads: (more…)

In 2004, the Seward power plant was opened by then Reliant Energy at a cost of $800 million, with $400 million of that in tax-exempt revenue bonds issued by the Commonwealth. Now owned by RRI Energy, the plant sits on the Conemaugh River near New Florence in Indiana County. It uses about 3.5 million tons of low-grade “waste” coal a year from an estimated 100 million tons of waste coal available in a 50-mile radius.

On May 24, 2010, just over six years later, the Sierra Club joined with PennEnvironment and Defenders of Wildlife in a notice of intent to sue both US EPA and Pennsylvania’s DEP over the current owner’s violations of the Clean Water Act, the Pennsylvania Clean Streams Law, and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Representing the three environmental groups are the Environmental Integrity Project, based in Washington, D.C. and the National Environmental Law Center in Boston.

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Photo:
Venture Outdoors

Our three rivers shaped our hills, fed our industries, provided drinkable water, and now they are beginning to fulfill their potential as a major fossil-fuel free recreational resource. This achievement is being celebrated as part of the UN Environment Day.

On June 5 at the head of the Ohio River an attempt will be made to break the World Record for the largest raft of Kayaks and Canoes. The record of 1,104 craft is currently held by the town of Inlet, NY. For details of how you can participate in the “Paddle at the Point” event, click HERE.

The state Department of Environmental Protection has prepared new regulations for the disposal of the waste water from Marcellus shale drilling. In an address to the House Republican Policy Committee on April 7 DEP Secretary John Hangar is quoted as saying “The treating and disposing of gas drilling brine and fracturing waste water is a significant challenge for the natural gas industry because of its exceptionally high TDS concentrations.”

This welcome action follows a public comment period in which the DEP received more than 4,000 comments on the proposed regulations, with over 90 pct calling for greater protection of our water resources. This was a significant outpouring of public concern, and ALL WHO COMMENTED DESERVE OUR THANKS

The next step is for the Environmental Quality Board to approve the new regulations. For forthcoming details of the new regulations check the DEP Web site.

The “Big Gas Rush” underway in Pennsylvania is attracting lots of attention, and a “fracking’ study by the EPA and a PBS program connect to the need for action by Congress.

On March 18, the US EPA announced that it will conduct a research study of the “potential adverse impact that hydraulic fracturing may have on water quality and public health”. According to a report by Don Hopey, the $1.9 million study will be finished by January 2012. (more…)

With a vote of 244-170, on March 19, the House or Representatives passed the Ocean, Coastal and Watershed Education Act (HR 3644), reaffirming Congress’ commitment to environmental education for America’s youth. Voting AYE were Reps. Altmire, Dahlkemper, and Doyle. The eight Republicans who voted AYE did NOT include Reps. Murphy (Tim), Shuster, or Thompson. A companion bill awaits introduction in the Senate.

HR 3644 would authorize and expand two education grant programs at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that connect children with the natural world, improve student achievement and prepare kids for the green economy by equipping students with the skills to understand complex environmental issues.

In a major step towards protecting our water resources, the Dept. of Environmental Protection is now revising the Erosion and Sediment Control and Stormwater Management regulations, including consideration of the Stream Buffer Zone requirements. The DEP’s action is in no small part a response to the more than 1,300 comments submitted to the Environmental Quality Board by the public, and by the scores of organizations associated with the Campaign for Clean Water.

This is a major victory for our streams and rivers, and all who submitted comments deserve a BIG thanks.
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