Today on the James

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Join us tomorrow to protect the James!

We need your help! Tomorrow, July 6, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) will hold an informational briefing and public hearing to review a draft wastewater permit for Dominion’s Chesterfield Power Station on the James River which will include “dewatering” of coal ash ponds. Please come out tomorrow evening and tell DEQ that we need improvements to this proposal! Here are some of our concerns:

The draft permit, as written, allows discharge of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, selenium, silver and zinc at hazardous levels for fish and aquatic wildlife. DEQ should require Dominion to pre-treat the water at levels sufficient to protect fish and aquatic wildlife before the water is released into the river.

The draft permit allows Dominion to release cooling water at very high temperatures that is harmful to fish and aquatic life.

The Chesterfield Power Station is within an area of critical habitat for Atlantic sturgeon where the endangered species is known to spawn. Additional scrutiny of permit limits is required to ensure that Atlantic sturgeon are not negatively affected.

The James River watershed is home to one-third of all Virginians, who live in its 39 counties and 19 cities and towns. The river serves as a drinking water source for millions via water intakes for public water systems including one downstream of the proposed discharge near Hopewell.

HOW TO JOIN US: An informational briefing starts at 6:00 PM and oral comments will be received from the public during tomorrow night’s public hearing starting at 7:00PM.

Location:

Thomas Dale High School - West Campus
3900 West Hundred Road
Chester, VA 23831

In September, the State Water Control Board will hold a hearing where a final decision will be made on the Chesterfield wastewater permit. Importantly, if you wish to speak at the State Water Control Board meeting you must have either submitted oral comments during the July 6 public hearing or submitted written comments.

IF YOU CANNOT MAKE IT TOMORROW EVENING, you can still voice your opinion by submitting written comments by July 21st!

Comments can be sent to:

Joseph Bryan
DEQ – Piedmont Regional Office, 4949-A Cox Road, Glen Allen, VA 23060
Email: ChesterfieldPowerStationWaterPermit@deq.virginia.gov
Fax: (804) 527-5106

Background: Dewatering is the first step in the process to close coal ash ponds which hold millions of gallons of wastewater that contain toxic chemicals including arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, selenium, and zinc. Dewatering involves the removal of this wastewater from the ponds and then discharging the water into the James with some level of treatment. Coal ash, a byproduct of burning coal to produce electricity, has been stored for decades in water-filled ponds at locations across the country. Many of these ponds were created before modern environmental regulations were established to ensure the safe management of coal ash. The Chesterfield Power Station is one of 3 facilities on the James River where coal ash ponds are being closed. The other 2 facilities are the Bremo Power Station and Chesapeake Energy Center on the Elizabeth River.

Earlier this year, Dominion was issued a wastewater permit at the Bremo Power Station to dewater coal ash ponds. Strong public involvement was critical to achieving major modifications to that permit. While the final permit was significantly stronger than the draft permit, the final permit fell short of protecting the health of the James River. As a result, the James River Association appealed the permit and later entered into a settlement agreement with Dominion that includes an enhanced treatment system to ensure water quality standards are met before water is discharged into the James.

While the 3 facilities will require wastewater permits for the dewatering process, each facility will also require a solid waste permit that will oversee the permanent closure of these ponds. A draft solid waste permit for the Chesapeake Energy Center is currently out for public comment, and it is expected that solid waste permits for both Bremo and Chesterfield will be out for public comment later this summer.

Thursday, June 30, 2016

The James River needs your help!

On Wednesday, July 6th, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) will hold an informational briefing and public hearing to review a draft wastewater permit for Dominion’s Chesterfield Power Station on the James River which will include “dewatering” of Dominion’s coal ash ponds.

On July 5 we will send another action alert to our Action Network outlining our major areas of concern with this permit so you can help us provide a voice for the river. To join our Action Network sign up at www.riveratrisk.org.

Dewatering is the first step in the process to close coal ash ponds which hold millions of gallons of wastewater that contain toxic chemicals including arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, selenium, and zinc. Dewatering involves the removal of this wastewater from the ponds and then discharging the water into the James with some level of treatment.
The following are some key points about the coal ash pond closure process on the James River:

Coal ash, a byproduct of burning coal to produce electricity, has been stored for decades in water-filled ponds at locations across the country. Many of these ponds were created before modern environmental regulations were established to ensure the safe management of coal ash. The Chesterfield Power Station is one of 3 facilities on the James Riverwhere coal ash ponds are being closed. The other 2 facilities are the Bremo Power Station and Chesapeake Energy Center on the Elizabeth River.
Earlier this year, Dominion was issued a wastewater permit at the Bremo Power Station to dewater coal ash ponds. Strong public involvement was critical to achieving major modifications to that permit. While the final permit was significantly stronger than the draft permit, the final permit fell short of protecting the health of the James River. As a result, the James River Association appealed the permit and later entered into a settlement agreement with Dominion that includes an enhanced treatment system to ensure water quality standards are met before water is discharged into the James.
While the 3 facilities will require wastewater permits for the dewatering process, each facility will also require a solid waste permit that will oversee the permanent closure of these ponds. A draft solid waste permit for the Chesapeake Energy Center is currently out for public comment, and it is expected that solid waste permits for both Bremo and Chesterfield will be out for public comment later this summer.

HOW TO JOIN US: On July 6 an informational briefing for the Chesterfield wastewater permit starts at 6:00 PM and oral comments will be received from the public during the public hearing starting at 7:00PM

On July 5 we will send another action alert outlining our major areas of concern with this permit so you can help us provide a voice for the river.

Location:
Thomas Dale High School - West Campus
3900 West Hundred Road
Chester, VA 23831

In September, the State Water Control Board will hold a hearing where a final decision will be made on the Chesterfield wastewater permit. Importantly, if you wish to speak at the State Water Control Board meeting you must have either submitted oral comments during the July 6 public hearing or submitted written comments. IF YOU CANNOT MAKE IT JULY 6th, you can still voice your opinion by submitting written comments by July 21st!

These can be sent to:
Joseph Bryan
DEQ – Piedmont Regional Office, 4949-A Cox Road, Glen Allen, VA 23060
Email: ChesterfieldPowerStationWaterPermit@deq.virginia.gov
Fax: (804) 527-5106

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Top 40 Festivals and Events in the James River watershed

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the James River Association. To celebrate this anniversary we’ll be releasing Top 40 lists throughout the year celebrating some of the awesome experiences the James River watershed has to offer.

This month, we have surveyed our staff to bring you the Top 40 Festivals and Events in the James River watershed. So here they are, in no particular order, 40 places to celebrate our beautiful watershed.

Friday, May 27, 2016

2016 River Monitoring Program Launches Memorial Day Weekend

Jamie Brunkow, Lower James Riverkeeper

How’s the river doing?It’s a question James River Association staff receive all the time. The answer is not always clear for the average person. But as the weather warms and more people are outside enjoying the river, it’s important that communities understand how to stay safe on the water.

One rule of thumb can help tremendously – don’t swim after a rain. E. coli bacteria is a common pollutant that people may encounter in the river after rainstorms. Whether it’s from humans, pets, or farms – stormwater runoff carries fecal waste into our waterways and can pose a significant risk to recreational river users. Higher levels of E. Coli mean a higher presence of pathogens that can make people sick.

Enter the James River Watch.

JRA launched the James River Watch online platform to help update the public with the latest water quality conditions. E. Coli bacteria data is posted each Friday to reveal whether conditions meet state standards for recreational contact. And the website pulls in real time data from multiple sources, presenting when water levels are too high or too low for paddling or swimming. The James River Watch is an easy way to track river conditions and to be safe when planning your river trips.

Visit www.jamesriverwatch.org to view the latest information, or download the SwimGuide app.

Getting Involved.

More than 90 volunteers were trained and certified this year to lead water testing at 26 locations across the watershed. Volunteers are collecting invaluable data to help inform the public about the risks associated with bacteria pollution. In addition to tracking this information, we need your help to tackle the immense challenge of stormwater runoff pollution. There are plenty of small steps citizens can take to reduce pollution – you can commit to planting trees and vegetation at home that will soak up stormwater, or installing a rain barrel, or picking up pet waste. Many in communities along the James River have already made these kinds of commitments as a part of JRA’s River Hero program. These small steps do make a difference.

Be safe this Memorial Day weekend, and see you on the river.

Vote Now for the Regional River Feature Contest!

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Volunteering for the James

We love our RiverRat volunteers! They act as the James River’s first line of citizen defense by assisting our Riverkeepers as the eyes and ears of the river and its tributaries. RiverRats come from all over the watershed, are all ages and have many different backgrounds. You don’t need to be a scientist or skilled paddler to become a RiverRat.

Meet our June Volunteer of the Month, Beth Butner. She is a retired Chesterfield County middle school educator. While she has lived in Chesterfield for over 40 years, she was born and raised in Isle of Wight County near Smithfield. She still co-owns her family farm with her sister, and she and her husband also are lucky enough to own a weekend home on the James in the Day’s Point area outside of Smithfield.

Isle of Wight was one of the original English land shires in Virginia and Beth’s ancestors were some of its first settlers. She has a strong appreciation for history and loves to sit on her dock reading up on Virginia’s history and imaging ships passing by on the James.

Beth and her husband have been James River Association members for over 25 years because of their deep connection with the river. Their home provides them a front row seat to Virginia’s history and beauty and they consider themselves cheerleaders for cities and counties that emphasize and celebrate our flowing treasure.

Beth also shares her love for the James with her son. They are both Lower James RiverRats who patrol between the Pagan River and Burwell’s Bay. Beth feels it is “the least we can do…to be good stewards of a small but valuable part of this natural treasure.”

Recently, she was walking in the Morgart’s Beach area near their home and she found a dead, untagged sturgeon in the grass. She was in awe of the prehistoric specimen and saddened that it had met its demise. Unable to determine the cause of death, she assumed it had washed ashore and vultures had moved it to a grassy area. Beth called the James River Association to report this unfortunate discovery.

Protecting and preserving the river is incredibly important to Beth. She couldn’t be more proud to call the James River watershed her home. “I feel the James River is the lifeblood of Virginia as it flows through her with such vibrancy and provides so many opportunities for her inhabitants to live, work, enjoy and prosper,” said Beth. “I am proud to be a Virginian who can enjoy and be blessed by the mighty James!”

Are you interested in volunteering for the James? If so, contact Ben Hawkins, Volunteer Coordinator, at bhawkins@jrava.org or (804) 788-8811, ext. 204.

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Top 40 Picnic Spots in the James River Watershed

This year marks the 40^th anniversary of the James River Association. To celebrate this anniversary we’ll be releasing Top 40 lists throughout the year celebrating some of the awesome experiences the James River watershed has to offer.

Now that spring has arrived, we have surveyed our staff to bring you the Top 40 Picnic Spots in the James River watershed. So here they are, in no particular order, 40 places to enjoy a meal al fresco.

1. Teddy J. Dressler Wayside Park on the Jackson River in Covington

2. Humpback Bridge in Covington

3. Sharon Park on the Cowpasture River in the Townof Sharon

4. Blue Ridge Vineyard in Eagle Rock

5. Rockbridge Baths Wayside in Rockbridge County

6. Picnic area at Goshen Pass in Rockbridge County

7. Jordan’s Point Park in Lexington

8. Buchanan Town Park in Buchanan

9. Picnic area at boat launch in Glasgow

10. Percival’s Island Park in Lynchburg

11. Riversedge Park in Amherst

12. Early Mountain Vineyards in Madison