Investigation Reveals Toxic Pollution from Coal Ash Dump Near Wildlife Refuge

Due to serious concerns about toxic pollution discharged from an unlined coal ash waste dump in suburban Washington, D.C., four environmental groups -- Defenders of Wildlife, Sierra Club, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, and Patuxent Riverkeeper -- announced today that they intend to sue Mirant MD Ash Management, LLC and Mirant Mid-Atlantic, LLC Corporation for violations of the federal Clean Water Act at the Brandywine Coal Combustion Waste (CCW) Landfill in Prince George's County, Maryland. The Environmental Integrity Project and the Environmental Law Clinic at the University of Maryland School of Law are acting as co-counsel for the four groups.

The environmental groups claim Mirant is violating the Clean Water Act by failing to comply with the terms of its Clean Water Act permit and by illegally discharging toxic pollutants into Mataponi Creek and its tributaries from outfalls and through leaks in disposal cells. Mirant's discharges enter Mataponi Creek, which flows through Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary, a unique wildlife refuge in the Patuxent River watershed. Mirant is the target of an enforcement action by Maryland for Clean Water Act violations at its Faulkner CCW Landfill due to groundwater contamination.

• For the press release, please click here.
• For the notice letter, please click here.