Possum Point residents fight Dominion coal ash ‘cap in place’ plan

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WOODBRIDGE, Va. — Dumfries residents and local leaders spoke loud and clear: They don’t want state regulators to allow Dominion Power to leave behind toxic coal ash at Possum Point.

Virginia’s Department of Environmental Quality held a two-and-a-half hour public hearing that began at 7 p.m. Thursday at Potomac Senior High School in Woodbridge. It was a chance to go on the record about Dominion’s request to “cap in place” millions of tons of coal ash that the utility has consolidated in a 64-acre pool dubbed “Pond D.”

A new cap would be installed on the top of the pond to keep out rainwater and prevent spillage.

“The final cover for Pond D will contain a high-density polyethylene cap to prevent rainwater or any moisture from coming into contact with the ash,” Dominion Environmental Advisor Cathy Taylor told two representatives from DEQ.

But it’s not the cap residents are worried about. It’s the clay liner at the bottom which dates back to the 1980s on which the coal ash rests, that neighbors are worried about. Environmentalists said the liner does not meet EPA standards, and that it should be replaced if Dominion’s cap in place plan is approved.

So far, Dominion has placed coal ash from three now dry ponds that date back to 1948 (A, B, C), and a wet Pond E, into Pond D. Replacing the liner would require removing all coal ash from Pond D.

Dominion in December agreed to pay to connect 35 homeowners on Possum Point Road to public water after elevated levels coal ash toxins like boron, chloride, cobalt, sulfate, nickel and zinc appeared in well tests.

Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chairman, and Virginia Republican Gubernatorial candidate Corey Stewart said the pond’s liner is not adequate, and that the utility lied to county residents and local leaders when it failed to report it had released untreated water from Pond D into Quantico Creek, which flows into the Potomac River, in May 2015.

“Dominion has been less than honest to the citizens and to the Board of County Supervisors. It’s our job to protect citizens, but its hard to do that when they lied to us,” said Stewart to the DEQ representatives. “And they apparently lied to you when they did not tell us they released the water.”

Dean Naujoks, of the Potomac Riverkeeper Network, an agency advocating for Possum Point residents, said Dominion should remove the coal ash by train using the rail line that runs next to the pond. The ash can be recycled it for use in concrete, like Duke Energy is doing in North Carolina.

Residents say Dominion has warned them that removing the coal ash would require trucking it out along the two-lane Possum Point Road.

“Possum Point is a winding, two-lane road that was never meant for construction traffic,” said resident Eileen Thrall, who urged DEQ to allow Dominion to cap and place.

“How much did Dominion pay you,” shouted Ruth Prodan, of Alexandria, who later chanted “hey hey… ho ho… Dominion coal ash has go to go….”

“I was kind of upset that no one else joined in my chant,” she added.

Others who spoke argued that the threat of contaminated coal ash water seeping out of the liner could ruin property values in the developing Potomac Shores neighborhood, being built two miles away from the coal ash ponds.

The Possum Point Power Station stopped producing coal ash, a byproduct left over after coal is burnt to create electricity when the plant converted to gas in 2003. The plant produces about 5% of Dominion’s electricity.

If cap in place is approved, Dominion or its contractor would be responsible for monitoring the ground water on the site for 30 years.

“We’ve also installed additional groundwater monitoring around the coal ash ponds at Possum Point Power Station. The monitoring network around the ponds includes 24 wells…to ensure groundwater is protected,” said Taylor.

Stewart said his Board of County Supervisors will convene a work session on the coal ash issue at its March 7 meeting.

“We can’t stop it,” said Stewart. “But we can put pressure on Dominion. And the public can put pressure on Dominion and the Governor in ways that we cannot.”

The DEQ public comment period ends March 10. A final decision on the matter is expected in June.