The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is asking for public comments on the clean-up plan for the last area of leaking coal ash impoundments at the Colstrip coal-fired power plant. Currently, millions of tons of coal ash sit below the groundwater table, constantly interacting with and polluting the groundwater. These toxic impoundments will continue to pollute the water until all of the coal ash is removed and stored in a permanent state-of-the-art landfill far above the water table and the State requires adequate financial bonding to protect Montana taxpayers.
Not surprisingly, the power plant owners are lobbying relentlessly for a cheaper, less effective, clean-up plan that would permanently leave millions of tons of toxic ash in the water. What’s more? DEQ wouldn’t even know whether the owners’ proposed plan would really work until 2070!
There is a better way. We need you to push back on the utilities’ efforts to avoid responsibility at Colstrip by speaking up TODAY! Tell DEQ to choose Alternative 10, and require the Colstrip owners to clean up the ash ponds for Units 1 & 2 once and for all. Let’s not leave this problem for future generations, as was done at Libby, at the Zortman/Landusky Mine, and so many other places across Montana. Let’s get this one right the first time.
Please take action by signing the petition, which will be delivered directly to DEQ. The deadline for comments is October 26th.
