Coal ash ponds, nuclear power plants, hog waste lagoons, Superfund sites in the path of Hurricane Florence
Here’s what you need to know
Hurricane Florence is expected to affect the Carolinas beginning on Thursday. The storm could bring high winds and dump up to 40 inches of rain over some areas over the next several days, causing significant flooding.
The following is a list of resources published by Frontier Group that may be useful to the public, the media and policy-makers tracking the storm.
Coal ash ponds
Numerous coal-fired power plants with onsite storage of coal ash waste are in the potential path of Hurricane Florence. Coal ash ponds can be susceptible to failure or spillage during heavy precipitation events or flooding, with devastating consequences for the environment, wildlife and human health.
Check out the factsheet for more information on coal ash ponds in the Southeast.
Nuclear power plants
Powerful hurricanes like Hurricane Florence present multiple risks to nuclear power stations. High winds can down power lines that deliver electricity that nuclear plants use to run their cooling systems. Flooding can damage back-up generators or key components needed to keep reactors safe. Flooding can be caused by heavy rain that raises the level of rivers and reservoirs, by intense local precipitation that overwhelms on-site drainage systems, or by wind-driven intrusion of water into buildings. Storm surges can also cause flooding.
Several nuclear reactors are in areas that may be subject to flooding in the wake of Hurricane Florence. Inspections and reviews by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission have found potential problems at some plants that could allow water into critical systems.
This factsheet provides further information on nuclear power plants in areas that may be affected by Hurricane Florence.
Hog waste lagoons
North Carolina is the nation’s second-largest pork producer, with much of that production taking place at industrial-scale farms. Waste at these farms is often stored in lagoons, which are ponds filled with waste that has been mixed with water. These lagoons are often just simple pits separated from waterways by an embankment. Spills can occur when lagoons fail or overflow, or when hoses or pipes carrying waste leak.
Waste lagoons are at greater risk of spilling during extreme weather events such as hurricanes. Hurricane Florence is projected to affect major agricultural regions of North Carolina and neighboring states, where manure storage in lagoons is common. Leakage from or failure of animal waste lagoons can pose a significant risk to water quality and wildlife, as animal waste contains an array of dangerous bacteria and other pollutants.
This factsheet provides further information on hog waste lagoons in areas that may be affected by Hurricane Florence.
Superfund sites
Since 1980, the Superfund toxic waste cleanup program has worked to protect the one in four Americans, including more than 10 million children, who live within four miles of the nation’s most polluted toxic waste sites. There are over 1,300 of these sites across the country.
There are dozens of Superfund hazardous waste sites in states potentially affected by Hurricane Florence. Flooding of hazardous waste sites can result in toxic substances finding their way into flood waters and nearby communities.
This factsheet provides further information on Superfund sites in areas that may be affected by Hurricane Florence.
