A Wake County judge has approved a consent agreement between Duke Energy, the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality and several environmental groups that clears the way for the utility company to begin work excavating coal ash from six of its coal-fired power plants in North Carolina, including the Roxboro plant and the Mayo plant in Person County.
The order from Judge Paul Ridgeway was delivered Wednesday, less than one week before the first of two public meetings planned for Person County to take public comment on Duke’s plans to resolve its coal ash storage problems.
The first of those meetings, set for 6 p.m., Monday at North End Elementary School, will give DEQ the opportunity to explain the plans for closing the coal ash basin at the Mayo plant.
Duke will excavate the coal ash from the lone basin on the site, which contains an estimated 7.7 million tons of coal ash. Duke engineers estimate the work will take about seven years and, if regulatory approvals come through in a timely fashion Duke engineer Dave Renner says excavation work could begin in early- to mid-2021. If the work goes according to schedule, all the coal ash in the basin would be moved to a lined landfill located on the Mayo site by the end of 2028.
The new landfill, which would sit partially on the footprint of the existing coal ash basin, would come five feet of the seasonal groundwater table level at its closest point. A 24-inch clay liner would cover the bottom of the landfill and a synthetic barrier would be laid out on top of that. A drainage system above the synthetic liner would include a collection system to pick up any leachate coming from the coal ash.
Another synthetic barrier will be placed over top of the coal ash once it is put in the new landfill and that barrier will be covered with soil and topsoil. Grass would be planted on top. Engineers say the 170-foot-high mound will likely be visible to motorists driving past the Mayo plant on Boston Road.
In addition to the presentation by DEQ officials, Monday night’s public meeting will also be a chance for the public to ask questions and make comments about the closure plan. Residents can also submit written comments to DEQ until March 2. Once those comments have been collected, DEQ will have to give final approval to the plan.
Renner also said part of the process will include getting permits from Person County, which means local government officials will have a say in approving Duke Energy’s plans.
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February 08, 2020 at 02:00PM
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