FirstEnergy details test of transfer of coal ash across Ohio River to Knoxville landfill

STEUBENVILLE -- Representatives from the FirstEnergy Corp. of Akron said Tuesday they plan to run a two-month test to bring solidified waste material from the Bruce Mansfield power plant in Shippingport to the Hollow Rock residual landfill in Knox Township.

According to David Hoone, a supervisor of coal combustion residues and environmental governance for the FirstEnergy Corp. of Akron, testing to load 70 to 80 tons of the power plant by-product onto barges will start in early November.

"We have invested $250 million in a dewatering facility at the plant where some fly ash and lime will be added to the by-product to make it a more solid material containing less water. We will start making the material this week," Hoone said.

"The next part of the test will involve loading barges to bring the material to the Wellsville Intermodal Center, where the material will be unloaded with a clamshell bucket crane and put into trucks. Approximately 70 to 80 trucks will then be taking the material south on state Route 7 to state Route 152 and then to the Hollow Rock landfill. The material will be spread and compacted at an existing area," continued Hoone.

"Our test will involve one barge the first week, then two barges the next week and then two more barges after that. This is a test to load the barges and how to handle the material at the landfill. Hollow Rock will be our secondary, or backup landfill. We plan to have a primary landfill that is still being finalized. The test should be completed in December," Hoone said.

"The material will be tested at the Bruce Mansfield plant before it is shipped to Hollow Rock. The purpose of this test is to see if we can ship it by barge and then by truck to the landfill. The trucks will be lined or sealed to prevent any spillage and the barges and tugboats will be inspected on a monthly basis. And the liner at the Hollow Rock landfill is pretty significant. We will also be inspecting the liner. And, we will have ground water monitoring wells at the Hollow Rock site," noted Hoone.

Jefferson County Health Department Administrator Bruce Misselwitz said he has learned Pennsylvania will allow the material to be placed in an approved landfill in that state.

Board member Dale Featheringham expressed concerns regarding any of the material spilling into the Ohio River.

"The river is the source for water for a number of communities. If you have any problems with one of the barges you will contaminate the drinking water system for a lot of people," warned Featheringham.

FirstEnergy has been using the Little Blue Run impoundment since the mid-1970s for the disposal of coal ash byproduct material.

According to FirstEnergy, more than 118 million cubic yards of coal combustion by-products -- approximately 3.2 million cubic yards a year -- have been placed in the impoundment since it opened in 1976.

FirstEnergy is under court order to stop placing coal combustion by-products into Little Blue Run by the end of this year. Closing and capping the impoundment will take much longer.

In other business at the board of health meeting, Misselwitz announced the district advisory council last week unanimously approved a contract agreement should be negotiated with the Steubenville Health Department.

"The general belief is the city and county health department will merge eventually, but the advisory council would like to start with a contractual agreement. I have officially notified the city manager of the council's decision," said Misselwitz.

The board unanimously agreed to support the Jefferson County Prevention and Recovery Board's 10-year 0.5-mill levy on the Nov. 8 ballot.

The board met in executive session for 10 minutes to discuss personnel.