Energy and Environment MonitorThe West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) along with the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (WVDHHR) and the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) were the agencies responsible for producing a study to analyze the potential effects of underground injection of coal slurry on human health and the environment. According to Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 15, the study was to include these five (5) areas of assessment:
1. An analysis of the chemical composition of coal slurry, including an inventory of organic and inorganic compounds;
2. A hydrogeological study of the migration of coal slurry or its constituent contaminants from injection wells into the ground waters or surface waters of West Virginia;
3. An analysis of the effects of the coal slurry and its constituent contaminants on human health;
4. A study of the effects of coal slurry and its constituent contaminants on public health in communities where it is determined that coal slurry or its constituent contaminants have migrated into ground waters currently or historically used for domestic purposes;
5. An environmental assessment of the effects on surface water and aquatic ecosystems of the migration of coal slurry or its constituent contaminants into surface waters.
Earlier this month, the first portion of this study was released to the West Virginia legislature. WVDHHR is responsible for the next part of the study, which should outline the potential health risk. Four (4) sites were chosen for hydrologic assessment and two (2) sites were selected for slurry constituent evaluation. All of these six (6) sites were selected by consensus of the three participating agencies, who did consider input from environmental groups and citizens. Samples were collected between July 2007 and July 2008 and were analyzed for 175 parameters. WVDEP has provided highlights of findings and recommendations of the study, which are as follows:
Findings (highlights)
· While several organic compounds were detected in the mine pools associated with slurry injection, there were no organic compounds found in surface and ground water samples taken during the site-specific investigations.
· Samples taken downgradient in a mine pool where slurry injection occurred showed no physical evidence of the migration of slurry solids.
· Certain constituents such as alkalinity, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), sulfates and some organic compounds had migrated from the slurry into the mine pool that received the injection.
· Slurry is similar to coal in composition, and the study found there is no universal tracer to indicate the presence of coal slurry as distinguished from other mining activities on surface and groundwater.
· Slurry injection was rather common in the 1980s, but there are only 13 slurry injections sites today.
· Operators sometimes were not using the chemicals that were identified in their UIC permits.
· Most sites lacked adequate background data on mine pools and groundwater monitoring prior to injection.
Recommendations (highlights)
· WVDEP has imposed a moratorium on the approval of injection of coal slurry into mine voids in which coal slurry injection has not previously been approved under the modern ear program.
· Site-specific and hydrologically pertinent groundwater monitoring should be required for all UIC permits.
· Wells located at least 0.5 miles from the mine pool should be monitored.
· All mine pools receiving slurry injection must be monitored using monitoring wells at multiple locations of the life of the injection permit.
· All new permits should conduct a full baseline survey for organic constituents and heavy metals for all nearby surface and groundwater resources.
A full copy of the study and related appendices is available at http://www.wvdep.org/item.cfm?ssid=9&ss1id=989.
This article was authored by Rachel Shanteau, Acacia Environmental Group LLC. For more information on the author see here.
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