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Ala. environmental agency proposes $1.5M in fines for coal ash violations

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Ala. environmental agency proposes $1.5M in fines for coal ash violations

The Alabama Department of Environmental Management proposed a fine of approximately $1.50 million against two Alabama electric utilities for discharging pollutants from coal ash ponds into groundwater and soils from six coal-fired power plants.

The agency is proposing $1.25 million in total fines against Alabama Power Co. for violations at its 1,852-MW E.C. Gaston plant in Shelby County; the Greene County facility, which now runs on natural gas; the 2,741.2-MW James H. Miller Jr. facility in Jefferson County; the 1,210.5-MW James M. Barry plant in Mobile County; and the 1,053.7-MW William C. Gorgas plant in Walker County.

The agency is also proposing a fine of $250,000 against PowerSouth Energy Cooperative for violations at its 556-MW Charles R Lowman coal-fired facility in Washington County.

The orders filed March 2 cited on-going violations of the Alabama Water Pollution Control Act and Alabama Department of Environmental Management administrative code.

Alabama Power Public Relations Director Amoi Geter was quoted by news site AL.com saying the Southern Co. subsidiary does not believe the amount of the penalty is warranted, but the utility will comply with the order.

"Based on evaluations to date, none of the results detected pose a risk to neighbors, nearby waterways or water sources," Geter was quoted as saying. "Also we have evaluated conditions at and around our ash facilities, and we have no indication of any effect on any source of water."

On Alabama Power's "Newscenter" site, the company said it expects all facilities to stop receiving ash "within a year," with the closing of the ash facility at Plant Gadsden completed. Work on ash ponds at Plants Barry, Gaston, Gorgas, Greene County and Miller continues.