More than 1M tons of ash removed from SC generating sites

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — More than 1 million tons of coal ash has been removed from riverfront sites of coal-fired generating plants in South Carolina.

The Southern Environmental Law Center said in a statement Tuesday that the ash has been removed from plants near Columbia and Myrtle Beach under settlement agreements that utilities reached with conservation groups.

The ash is being moved either to lined storage facilities or being recycled into concrete to prevent the danger of river pollution

The environmental group says South Carolina Electric & Gas has removed about 725,000 tons of coal ash from riverside lagoons at its Wateree Plant on the Catawba-Wateree River near Columbia.

Santee Cooper has also removed nearly 300,000 tons from riverfront lagoons at its Grainger Plant on the Waccamaw River in Conway.