Four Groups Announce Intent to Sue Western PA So-Called "Clean Coal" Plant; Leaking Coal Ash Dump Contributed to Over 12,000 Environmental Violations

Washington, D.C. – May 24, 2010

The Environmental Integrity Project (EIP) today announced its notice of intent to sue the Seward Generating Station, a Western PA waste-coal-burning power plant for over 12,000 violations of environmental laws, including discharges of toxic coal ash pollutants.  EIP, along with the National Environmental Law Center (NELC), is representing four environmental groups – Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future (PennFuture), Defenders of Wildlife, PennEnvironment, and Sierra Club – in this action.  Located on the banks of the Conemaugh River in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, the Seward Generating Station is owned and operated by RRI Energy, Inc. (formerly known as Reliant Energy), RRI Energy Mid-Atlantic Power Holdings, LLC, and Reliant Energy Seward, LLC.  Although the plant has been heralded as a so-called “clean coal” plant for burning waste coal and for “beneficially reusing” toxic coal ash by dumping it on a coal refuse pile, the citizen groups are filing their intent to sue for violations of the federal Clean Water Act, the Pennsylvania Clean Streams Law, and the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act.

According to the water pollution and waste disposal laws, the groups are required by law to provide 60 and 90 days notice, respectively, to the violator and to government agencies before filing suit in federal court in Pittsburgh.

For the Press Release, click here.

For the notice of intent to sue letter, click here.

For the attachments to the notice letter, click here.

For a streaming audio replay of the news event, click here.