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Mary Chitty

Dr. Angela Miss

UWRT-1102

18 July 2017

The Catawba Riverkeeper Foundations Impact on Society

Water is essential for all life on Earth and its accessibility is often taken for granted in the

United States. Lack of access to clean, safe water is frequently associated with third world

countries. The United States is such a progressive nation that clean water is not simply a

privilege, but a right. As there are countless laws established by the government to protect this

right, it would seem virtually impossible for an American not to have safe drinking water.

However, the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation (CRF) has proven this statement to be false. This

small non-profit water preservation group discovered state regulated drinking water tainted with

heavy metals in communities located in the vicinity of Duke Energy power plants (Semuels). No

one can dispute that energy is a necessary component for our society to survive. The question

that must be addressed is at what cost is a community willing to pay for their energy to be

produced? The energy manufactured in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg and surrounding areas comes

predominantly from Duke Powers coal-burning power plants (History- Our Company). Coal

is one of the top sources of energy in the United States due to its abundance and low mining

costs (How Coal Works). The nations newest pro-industry presidential administration firmly

believes that coal dependency is vital for the countrys survival. This ideology strongly parallels

with North Carolinas prior industrial and environmental positions (Semuels). Coal mining and

production helps boost the economy and allows power companies to sell their product at a much
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lower price. From the surface this scenario sounds like a win-win. However, is this situation truly

as good as it appears? In order to answer this all important question, one must delve deeper into

the current situation between the Duke Energy power company and the environmental concerns

arising in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area.

North Carolinas political history may shed some light on how the drinking water for

over 800,000 residents became polluted (North Carolina). Not too long ago the governor of the

Tar Heel state, Pat McCrory, sought to increase industry and did so by limiting the states

environmental organizations (Semuels). Slashing state environmental regulations and showing

leniency toward industrial pollution helped stimulate the local business sector, but the costs

would be deadly. North Carolina is home to several Fortune 500 companies, Duke Energy being

one of them. What once started as the Catawba Power Company at the start of the twentieth

century has since grown into what is now the nations largest utility company (History-Our

Company). With close personal ties to McCrory, the energy giant took advantage of the new

legislation and became relaxed with their industrial waste management. Harmful chemicals that

are common byproducts of coal burning, such as mercury, arsenic and lead, began to appear in

local drinking water near Duke Energy power plants (Coal Ash). With the state environmental

organizations power and authority diminished, there was no regulatory group to regularly

monitor industries and their pollutants. North Carolina is home to 14 coal-fired power plants and

50 coal ash impoundments which contains the toxic energy byproducts (North Carolina). From

these statistics and the lack of legislation it is not surprising that there have been thirteen

documented cases where power plants contaminated water resources with coal ash. Who steps

into the ring to take on the nations top energy corporation in order to protect the citizens from

the rising health risks due to coal produced energy? Cuts to the states environmental regulation
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administrations and loose legislation under the McCrory administration meant an outside force

would have to step in to protect the Charlotte residents.

This David and Goliath scenario has the Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation taking on this

energy giant. The CRFs small non-profit mission aims to protect North Carolinas Catawba-

Wateree River Basin; essentially taking the role of Charlottes water Guardian Angel. They are

ever vigilant in keeping watch over the big energy corporations that utilize coal burning

technology to produce the much needed energy in the area (Mission). Consisting of nine-

thousand total miles of rivers and over fifty-thousand acres of lakes, the Catawba River basin

provides drinking water for over two-million individuals (North Carolina). This river basin is

also vital for the areas energy production, both nuclear and coal-powered plants. Due to heavy

use, poor water management and power generated pollution, the Catawba River basin has

repeatedly been named one of the nations most endangered basins (Mission). Through water

protection and advocacy, the CRF acts as a watchdog for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg community.

Coal ash pollution is one of the top priorities for CRF, but many residents do not fully

grasp the potential harm this energy byproduct can have on human health. Wastewater pollution

from power plants pose two types of risks: unsafe drinking water from contamination and fish

unsafe to consume due to living in the contaminated water. Some of the pollutants found in

power plant waste water, like mercury and PCBs, bioaccumulate (Environmental Impacts).

This essentially means the amount of toxin ingested by one organism gets passed on to the next

organism that consumes them. The concentration of toxin increases as the organism moves up in

the food chain. This puts humans at risk if they eat contaminated fish. North Carolina has issued

a health advisory stating residents should limit the consumption of certain fish due to their high

mercury levels. In Lake Norman, a popular recreational lake in the Catawba Basin, fishers are
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also advised not to consume the fish due to extremely high levels of PCBs (Occupational).

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), over 22,000 miles of rivers in the

nation are considered to be unsafe to fish due to power plant pollution (Coal Ash Basics).

However, individuals do not have to consume tainted fish to be exposed to harmful substances.

The CRF has teamed up with other environmental and health organizations to research the actual

effects of heavy metals in drinking water. There are several cancer-causing pollutants found in

power plant waste water such as arsenic, that seep into local well water. This particular substance

has been linked to several forms of cancers in the bladder, kidney and lung. Studies have now

suggested that arsenic is seventeen times more dangerous than the EPA originally thought

(Chakraborty and Mukherjee 838). The CRF and their associated organizations have campaigned

for new stricter regulations on this substance. Arsenic is also considered a neurotoxin which has

sparked concern for children ingesting contaminated water. Research has shown that children

exposed to 5-10 micrograms of arsenic per liter of water had significantly lower IQ. It is

important to note that the levels of arsenic the children were exposed to are considered below the

allowed drinking level (Wasserman et al.). While many believe water treatment plants help

remove harmful chemicals, this water purification method can create more harmful chemicals in

drinking water. Although not dangerous itself, bromide created from coal ash becomes hazardous

when exposed to the current drinking water treatment process. When bromide combines with

other chemicals during treatment, carcinogenic byproducts are produced. While there are safe

drinking water standards for some of these bromide derivatives, the EPA states that water

treatment facilities do not always remove these substances and these companies are having a

harder time meeting safe drinking levels for toxic bromide byproducts (Cmar et al.). The CRFs

work to research the health concerns that plague the local community has proven that some of
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the EPAs regulations are not as effective as many think. Constant water checking has revealed

several shocking coal ash incidences that have caused the CRF to pursue legal actions.

The United States second largest coal ash spill occurred in February 2014 at a power

plant near the Dan River, part of the Catawba River basin (North Carolina). Residents living

near the Duke Energy power plant received a notice from the state informing them that their

water had been contaminated and was unsafe to use. Locals were shocked to find that their water

had elevated levels of harmful substances such as hexavalent chromium, a substance known to

cause cancer. This particular accident occurred when a pipe ruptured, spewing 39,000 tons of

coal-ash into the river (Semuels). An incident some believe could have been avoidable.

According to North Carolinas attorney for the Waterkeeper Alliance, Pete Harrison, there had

been arsenic levels that exceeded legal limits in groundwater near the Dan River power plant

since January 2011. Harrison believes that if the state had exercised its authority by forcing Duke

Energy to clean up the leaking coal ash, the 2014 accident would not have happened (Semuels).

The corporation pled guilty to environmental crimes. Although this case has been North

Carolinas largest coal ash incident it was not the first to be discovered. A team of volunteers

including Sam Perkins, a CRF scientist, actively tested the local waterways for harmful

chemicals. Perkins stated that his organization had discovered high levels of heavy metals in

waterways that were commonly found in Duke Energys coal power generation (Coal Ash).

After reporting the findings to the state, legal actions were never taken. The Southern

Environmental Law Center (SELC), a non-profit legal organization, had charged the energy

company for violating the Clean Water Act several times prior to the Dan River spill. The CRF

teamed up with the SELC to seek legal actions against Duke Energy which helped spur further

federal investigation (Semuels). The energy company claimed that scientific experts cannot
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conclude that every incident was due to coal ash contamination. One research investigation,

conducted through Duke University, found that elevated levels of carcinogenic hexavalent

chromium were found in groundwater throughout the piedmont regardless of coal-ash pond

location. This suggests that the occurrence is naturally occurring rather than manmade (Vengosh

et al. 410). This argument did not holdup during federal trials. During these federal cases it was

revealed that constant water testing through both state and local organizations suggested that

Duke Energy coal-ash ponds were had been contaminating local water systems for years, but

when prosecuted the legal charges were never upheld by the state (North Carolina). The

federal courts found that North Carolina regulators were not compliant with the Clean Water Act

and the EPA standards (Semuels). Duke Energy was ordered to cleanup and close all coal ash

impoundments.

After several years of damage litigation and sentencing for Duke Energys environmental

violations the state has enacted stricter environmental regulations. Unfortunately, in national

news the actions of the current presidential administration seem to mirror North Carolinas

approach on environmental regulation. The months following the inauguration of the new

administration have brought an onslaught of environmental changes that has left the EPA

wavering (Semuels). Appointing a pro-business politician as head of the agency along with

cutting staff and funding looks eerily similar to the environmental approach North Carolina took

not so long ago. If the events seen in North Carolina is any indication, the nation could expect

more pollution and less accountability for environmental violators. Without the help of the EPA,

the American people and smaller environmental groups will have to standup against massive

corporations and fend for themselves.

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Regardless of the possible national outcome, it is clear that the Charlotte-Mecklenburg

community has a watchdog organization that is working to keep our society safe. While not all

water pollutants can be blamed on coal-fired power plants, it is reassuring to know that there are

organizations such as the CRF who are keeping an ever watchful eye on the publics safety and

willing to prosecute corporations of all sizes that cause harm to the environment. Without the

help of CRF there would be an increase in citizens with deadly medical conditions. If not for this

organization, clean drinking water would become a luxury for the citizens of Charlotte.
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Work Cited
Chakraborty, Rajarshi, and Anita Mukherjee. "Mutagenicity and Genotoxicity of Coal Fly Ash

Water Leachate." Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety. 72.3 (2009): 838-842. Print.

Cmar, Thomas, L. Evans, B. Gottlieb, J. Peters, R. Casey. Selling Our Health Down The River:

Why EPA Needs to Finalize the Strongest Rule to Stop Water Pollution from Power

Plants. PSR. Physicians for Social Responsibility, 17 June 2015.

http://www.psr.org/assets/pdfs/selling-our-health-down-the-river.pdf. 19 July 2017.

"Coal Ash." Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 July 2017.

"Coal Ash Basics." EPA. Environmental Protection Agency, 26 Apr. 2017. Web. 23 July 2017.

"Environmental impacts of coal power: fuel supply." Union of Concerned Scientists. N.p., n.d.

Web. 30 July 2017.

"History - Our Company." Duke Energy. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 July. 2017.

"How Coal Works." Union of Concerned Scientists. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Aug. 2017.

"Mission." Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 July 2017.

"North Carolina." Southeast Coal Ash. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Aug. 2017.

Occupational And Environmental Epidemiology. "Fish Consumption Advisories." NC DPH:

Occupational & Environmental Epidemiology: Current N.C. Fish Consumption

Advisories. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 July 2017.

Semuels, Alana. "The Saga of North Carolina's Contaminated Water." The Atlantic. Atlantic

Media Company, 18 Apr. 2017. Web.

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Vengosh, Avner, Rachel Coyte, Jonathan Karr, Jennifer S. Harkness, Andrew J. Kondash, Laura

S. Ruhl, Rose B. Merola, and Gary S. Dywer. "Origin of Hexavalent Chromium in

Drinking Water Wells from the Piedmont Aquifers of North Carolina." Environmental

Science & Technology Letters. 3.12 (2016): 409-414. Print.

Wasserman, GA, X Liu, NJ Loiacono, J Kline, P Factor-Litvak, Geen A. van, JL Mey, D Levy,

R Abramson, A Schwartz, and JH Graziano. "A Cross-Sectional Study of Well Water

Arsenic and Child Iq in Maine Schoolchildren." Environmental Health : a Global Access

Science Source. 13.1 (2014). Print.