Answers to frequently asked questions
- Where is the site located?
- How long has coal ash been placed at that site?
- Where did the ash come from?
- When were potential problems at the site discovered?
- How many residential wells are affected by groundwater impacts?
- Were there any signs of groundwater problems prior to October 2006?
- What is being done to fix the problem?
- What has Constellation done to help neighbors whose wells could be affected?
- A new development, Waugh Chapel South, is soon to be built on a portion of the sand and gravel pit. Will construction disturb the coal ash?
- What’s the status of your efforts to connect some residences to the county’s water system?
- Is fly ash radioactive?
- Ask your own question.
Q. Where is the site located?
A. The sand and gravel mine, owned by BBBS Inc., is located in Gambrills in Anne Arundel County, MD. The site is bordered by Rt. 3, Waugh Chapel Road, Evergreen Road and Brickhead Road.
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Q. How long has coal ash been placed at that site?
A. Coal ash was first placed at the site in 1995, and continued to be deposited
until 2007. The coal ash was used as structural fill to reclaim land that had
been mined for sand and gravel. Constellation Energy placed approximately 4.6
million tons of ash at the site. The placement was reviewed and permitted by the
Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE). No new ash has been placed at the
site since September 2007 and the process of grading, compacting and covering
the ash was completed in November 2007.
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Q. Where did the ash come from?
A. The coal ash came from the Wagner and Brandon Shores power plants in Anne Arundel County, which are owned by Constellation Power Source Generation, Inc. For more information about how coal ash is generated, see "Facts about Coal Ash".
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Q. When were potential problems with private wells discovered?
A. Constellation Energy initiated sampling of residential wells in October 2006,
based on trends observed in monitoring wells at the BBSS site. Groundwater
testing at the BBSS site was a part of Constellation's ongoing pollution
prevention program. When a private well sample indicated a potential problem,
Constellation immediately retested it and also tested adjacent private wells.
Constellation Energy immediately and voluntarily reported the results of testing
to the homeowners, the Anne Arundel County Department of Health, and MDE.
Constellation Energy also provided bottled water to residents.
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How many residential wells are affected by groundwater impacts?
A. Four wells tested by Constellation Energy indicated the presence of metals at levels slightly above MDE's allowable health-based thresholds for drinking water. When tests were conducted a second and third time on the same wells, results showed that most wells met EPA standards.
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Q. Were there any signs of groundwater problems prior to October 2006?
A. Previous
tests, all reported to MDE, indicated elevated sulfate levels in groundwater.
Sulfate is not deemed a health hazard by the Environmental Protection Agency,
although the EPA sets secondary standards for what is considered excessive
concentrations in drinking water, primarily for aesthetic reasons. In
consultation with MDE, Constellation Energy took steps to reduce the sulfate
level by reducing the working area of the uncovered coal ash at the site,
increasing the thickness and reducing the permeability of the capping material,
and installing a pumping system designed to collect and treat affected
groundwater.
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Q. What is being done to fix the problem?
A. Constellation Energy entered into a consent agreement with MDE on Oct. 1,
2007. The agreement calls for Constellation to determine the extent of the
problem, develop solutions and follow increased reporting requirements. The
agreement also requires the replacement of a small number of residential wells,
which is being accomplished by connecting the residences to the county water
system, and the voluntary replacement or treatment of a number of additional
wells. The first phase of the remediation process was completed in early May
2008 when Constellation filed with MDE the results of groundwater evaluation and
remediation recommendations.
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Q. What has Constellation done to help neighbors whose wells could be affected?
A. In September 2007, Constellation told residents in the area that it would pay to connect a number of homes on Summerfield and Brickhead Roads to the Anne Arundel County water system. In the interim, Constellation has provided these homes with bottled water for drinking and a temporary county water supply.
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Q. A new development, Waugh Chapel South, is soon to be built on a
portion of the sand and gravel pit. Will construction disturb the coal ash?
A. Sometime in 2010 construction is expected to begin on the new development.
Although the coal ash placed in this area is currently capped and covered, the
new development will serve as an enhanced cap that will reduce the potential for
coal ash to become wet. In constructing the new buildings, it will be necessary
for footers, foundations and utilities to penetrate the cap. Construction will
follow MDE-approved guidelines designed to minimize dust and erosion of the ash.
Any coal ash that must be removed from the site will be transported in
accordance with the appropriate requirements and guidelines and will be
deposited in a permitted landfill.
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Q.
What’s the status of your efforts to connect some residences to the county’s
water system?
A. In February 2009, Constellation completed the first phase of water line
installation and connections. This water line provides county public
water to residents in the Summerfield Road area and a number of homes in the
adjacent Waugh Chapel Road neighborhood. Additional phases of water line
installation are being planned. Constellation appreciates the cooperation of
the community as this significant
planning and construction process goes forward.
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Q.
Is fly ash radioactive?
A. While coal and fly ash do contain naturally radioactive elements, the
vast majority of coal and the majority of fly ash are not significantly
enriched in radioactive elements, or in associated radioactivity, compared
to common soils or rocks. In fact, while fly ash is commonly used as an
additive to concrete building products, the radioactivity of typical fly ash
is not significantly different from that of more conventional concrete
additives or other building materials such as granite or red brick. For
additional information on this issue click the following link to read a fact
sheet prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS):
http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/1997/fs163-97/FS-163-97.html.
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