Dan River cleanup a success

The Dan River is recovering well after last year’s coal ash spill from the Dan River power plant, according to research from universities, regulators and industry experts presented in a new report from the power plant owner, Duke Energy.

The report – entitled “The state of our rivers” – was released this week by Duke Energy N.C. President, Paul Newton at an event with local leaders from the affected Eden and Rockingham Counties. The report notes the following findings to support its assertion that the river is in good health:

• Tests by the state of North Carolina, the US Environmental Protection Agency and Duke Energy have demonstrated that water quality in the Dan River returned to normal a few days after the ash release and that drinking water quality always remained safe.
• A study by North Carolina State University in April of last year concluded that the river water could be used for farming.
• The EPA, which directed the work to remove coal ash from the river, concluded in July 2014 that cleanup work was complete.
• A study by Alderman Environmental Services, a leading mussel expert, showed that mussel life in the river is flourishing with 10 species identified as thriving and two rare species observed for the first time in the Roanoke River Basin.
• A North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources report found that macroinvertabrate levels were health up and down the Dan River.

“Nearly a year ago, I came to Eden on a much more somber days,” said Newton at the event to release the report. “I made a pledge that day on behalf of Duke Energy that we would use all available resources in our response to the Dan River accident.”

“Today, I am glad to say that the river is thriving – and there’s hard science that tells us so,” Newton concluded.

Written by Jonathan Rowland.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcoal.com/power/29012015/dan-river-cleanup-a-success-coal1807/