RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Environmental activists are holding a three-day picket outside Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s office starting Monday morning.
The picketers are demanding that McAuliffe uses his executive power to oppose proposed natural gas pipelines and to push for stricter state requirements related to disposing of coal waste by-product.
One of the three requests from the Chesapeake Climate Action Network is asking Dominion Power and other utilities to permanently protect Virginians from toxic coal ash.
8News reached out to Dominion Power and they sent us a statement:
“Closing these ponds is a major step toward cleaner energy and protecting our waterways. Dominion’s plans are safe and protective of the environment and aquatic life. The water permits at Bremo, Chesterfield and Possum Point set very strict limits on water releases from coal ash ponds. We are treating the water in the ponds and a third-part is testing it before it is ever put into the waterways. By storing the ash safely on site, we avoid many thousands of unnecessary heavy truck trips down local roads and highways. This process will also will eliminate years of unnecessary delay and will fully protect public health, the environment, and the beneficial uses of Virginia’s waterways. Closing coal ash ponds is a mandate from the EPA and the EPA says closing these ponds in place is safe and protective of the environment. We’ve worked hard to make this a transparent process. We post information about our plans on Dom.com/coalash and that includes water test results from Bremo and Possum Point Power Stations. We won’t begin treating and releasing water from Chesterfield until the Fall of 2017.”
The picket will take place Monday through Wednesday from noon – 1 p.m.
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