RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Gov. Terry McAuliffe sent a coal ash cleanup bill back to the General Assembly on Wednesday with amendments that would delay Dominion Virginia Power's plans to close its ponds until the utility provides more information about possible contamination and closure alternatives.
In a move hailed by environmental groups, the governor would essentially impose a moratorium on permits the utility needs to close the ponds, until May 2018. The same bill would impose a December 2017 deadline for Dominion to report on any water pollution and evaluate options for recycling ash as it closes 11 ponds at four power stations.
Recommended Videos
"My hope is that this additional process will increase the public's confidence in the path that Virginia ultimately takes" in closing the ponds, McAuliffe said in a statement, citing "tremendous public concern and outreach" on the issue.
Dominion spokesman Rob Richardson says the company will start immediately on the assessments and looks forward to sharing the results.
The General Assembly, which will reconvene next month, still must approve the amended measure.
Coal ash is the heavy metal-laden waste that's left over after the fossil fuel is burned for power generation. For decades, it's been stored in landfills and sometimes in ponds to keep it from blowing away. Ponds in other places have tainted water supplies. Dominion says its ponds are safe and not leaking.
A catastrophic 2008 spill in Tennessee drew national attention to the issue. Then, in 2014, a pipe ruptured at a Duke Energy plant, polluting North Carolina's Dan River with miles of gray sludge.
In Virginia, Dominion has been moving forward with plans to close 11 ponds to comply with Environmental Protect Agency regulations, largely by draining the water and putting a cap over the top. Environmentalists say that doesn't go far enough to protect water quality.
Each assessment required by the bill must identify and describe any ground or surface water pollution stemming from the pond and evaluate how to resolve it. Dominion must also evaluate the "clean closure" of each unit, either through recycling of the coal ash or through the excavation and removal of the ash to a dry, lined landfill.
The measure's sponsor, Democratic Sen. Scott Surovell, said he thinks the amended version is a fair compromise that will give Virginians more information about the ponds before a final decision is made.
"It's important that we fix this problem once and not have to go back and do it again," he said.
Environmental groups also praised the governor's decision.
"Today, Governor McAuliffe stood up for the people of the Commonwealth by ensuring cleaner water, but the General Assembly still has to act. Without this amendment, Virginians could have to deal with the fallout from band-aid solutions to a very real, very dangerous environmental threat," said Michael Town, executive director of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters.
(Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)