Water Permit Moves to Public Comment
The public has a new opportunity to weigh in on the coal ash stored dangerously along the Middle Fork of the Vermilion River. The Illinois EPA has opened a comment period on the draft water discharge permit for the Vermilion Power Station. These water permits are called National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permits, or “NPDES” permits The Illinois EPA is accepting comments on the proposed permit until June 20th.
This water permit is one step in the process that will lead to the removal of coal ash from the floodplain of the Middle Fork. As you may recall, following years of advocacy and an interim agreement between Dynegy and the Illinois Attorney General, Dynegy has finally committed to moving their coal ash out of the floodplain and into a new, modern landfill. The landfill will be constructed in the footprint of the Vermilion Power Station, which Dynegy plans to demolish. The Illinois EPA is reviewing a construction permit to allow Dynegy to do that work, but that’s a separate issue and still under review. The current comment period is related to Dynegy’s water permit.
Removing the coal ash impoundments will require Dynegy to drain all of the water from the coal ash so it can be safely excavated. Dynegy proposes discharging that water into the Middle Fork according to limits set with the proposed permit. The water permit also includes groundwater monitoring requirements and stormwater management plan.
PRN and our partners are doing a detailed review of the permit, and we’ll share more about our response in the coming weeks. Look for an alert soon on how you can submit comments to the IEPA!
