On September 14, 2021, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) released its draft permit for Plant Bowen AP-1. This permit details Georgia Power’s plan to close the largest coal ash site in Georgia by containing over 20 million cubic yards of toxic coal ash capped in a lined ash pit that sits on top of unstable porous karst terrain which is prone to sinkholes.

Despite the plan to install a liner under this massive coal ash pit, leaving the coal ash in place still puts our water and health at risk due to the unstable ground at Plant Bowen.

In 2002, a four acre wide sinkhole opened up underneath Plant Bowen that released 2.25 million gallons of coal ash into Euharlee Creek. This spill resulted in arsenic levels rising to 1250 parts per billion, exceeding federal drinking water standards by more than 120 times and causing downstream drinking water intakes to suspend operation.* Additional sinkholes developed again at AP-1, in December 2008, also caused by the unstable karst terrain.

Source: Michael Wall, Georgia Power ash and arsenic spill bad news, Creative Loafing (Aug. 7, 2002)

Comment Period: The permit release initiates a 60 day period of which the public is invited to make comments on the Plant Bowen AP-1 draft permit available at: epd.georgia.gov/bowen-ap1-draft-ccr-permit

Comment Period Ends: Monday, November 15, 2021

Persons wishing to comment on the draft CCR Permit are required to submit their comments, in writing to EPD via email to epdcomments@dnr.ga.gov (email comments must include the facility name and “CCR Permit” in subject line in this case: “Plant Bowen AP-1 CCR Permit”.

Plant Bowen

Location: 317 Covered Bridge Rd SW, Euharlee, GA 30120 | County: Bartow

River / Watershed: Etowah River in Coosa Watershed

Coal Plant Status: Active

Amount of Coal Ash: 20,400,000 yd³ | Closure Plan: Unsafely Lined on Site

*Unsafe Coal Ash Contaminants: Arsenic, Boron, Cobalt, Molybdenum, Radium, and Sulfate

*Source: Georgia at a Crossroads Coal Ash Report: Plant Bowen + Georgia Power - Bowen AP-1: Semi-Annual Groundwater Monitoring and Corrective Action Report - 2021

EPD Plant Bowen Draft Permit: epd.georgia.gov/bowen-ap1-draft-ccr-permit

Permit Release: September 14, 2021 | Comment Deadline: Monday, November 15, 2021

EPD Public Hearing: Thursday, October 14, 2021 at 6pm | RSVP: To Speakout with Us!

Hearing Zoom: gaepd.zoom.us/j/92058298789 | Dial In: 470-381-2552 - ID: 920 5829 8789

Plant Bowen Permit Hearing

Thursday, October 14, 2021, 6 pm Until Last Comment

Hearing Zoom: gaepd.zoom.us/j/92058298789

Dial In: 470-381-2552 - Meeting Id: 920 5829 8789

RSVP Below + Share on Facebook

Pre-Registration Not Required to Attend or Comment

GA EPD will host a virtual public meeting to provide an opportunity for attendees to make verbal statements and comments on the draft permit. A short presentation on the draft permit will precede the public meeting. Participants are asked to limit their comments to no more than 3 minutes.

The virtual public meeting will be held on Thursday, October 14, 2021 at 06:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada), and will be conducted using Zoom, a free web-based video conferencing tool that also allows participation by phone (dial-in). Please be aware that the Zoom meeting format has a maximum attendance of up to 300 participants and there is a possibility that the meeting you chose to join will reach capacity. For this reason, EPD will make recordings of the meeting available on GA EPD’s website at https://epd.georgia.gov/ccr-draft-permits.

We will be mobilizing community members and allied organization across Georgia to make comments on the Plant Bowen AP-1 coal ash permit and speak out at the hearing on October 14th!