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Alabama Power has reached an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) about how it handles coal ash at Plant Barry, near Mobile.
This settlement comes after concerns about millions of pounds of coal ash stored in unlined ditches at the plant.
While some issues have been addressed, the bigger question of coal ash sitting in groundwater remains unresolved.
What’s in the Agreement?
Under the agreement, Alabama Power will pay a $278,000 fine and improve safety measures at the site.
This includes adding more groundwater monitoring wells and updating its emergency action plan to deal with severe weather, which is crucial in a hurricane-prone area like Mobile.
These steps follow a visit from the EPA earlier this year, when officials raised concerns about the company’s plan to store coal ash at the site instead of moving it.
However, the settlement doesn’t require Alabama Power to remove the 21 million cubic yards of coal ash already at Plant Barry.