State fines Alabama Power $1.25M over tainted groundwater

摘要

State regulators Friday imposed more than $1 million in fines on Alabama Power Co. after determining that the company's coal ash ponds are contaminating groundwater.rnThe Alabama Department of Environmental Management ordered six coal-fired power plants to pay $250,000 each for "on-going violations" of the Alabama Water Pollution Control Act. Alabama Power owns five of the facilities and will have to cough up $1.25 million.rnThe company said it plans to comply with the order but does not believe the penalty is warranted, since it already has plans to address the contaminated water found at its coal ash storage facilities.rn"Based on evaluations to date, none of the results detected pose a risk to neighbors, nearby waterways or water sources," said Alabama Power public relations director Amoi Geter. "Also we have evaluated conditions at and around our ash facilities, and we have no indication of any effect on any source of water."