protect our environment

PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT

Democrats believe that climate change poses a real and urgent threat to our economy, our national security, and our children’s health and futures, and that Americans deserve the jobs and security that come from becoming the clean energy superpower of the 21st century.

We support:

  • Insure that the remediation of the Beckjord Power Plant is conducted safely.
  • Issue $1 billion in clean water improvement bonds.
  • Loosen wind farm restrictions.

BECKJORD PLANT

An estimated 10 billion pounds of coal ash dumped into four man-made ponds along the Ohio River – a source of drinking water for more than 5 million people.

At least one coal ash pond has a history of leaking and polluting nearby groundwater – causing Clermont County to shut down a public water well that served thousands of residents.

Nationally, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency established new federal standards for how coal ash should be managed and properly closed in 2015.

Beckjord was closed by Duke Energy in 2014, which means rules crafted specifically to protect groundwater near coal ash ponds and monitor it long term don’t apply at the property.

Instead, the coal ash ponds at Beckjord fall under a limited set of Ohio laws that call for closed ponds left in place. Then water must be removed from the ponds, and they are capped.