Full barge sinks in Mon River
LUZERNE TWP. – A barge full of the waste product from a coal-fired power plant remains at the bottom of the Monongahela River at LaBelle today, three days after it sank at the Matt Canestrale Contracting docks. Helen Humphreys, a spokeswoman with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), said the product, known as slue flue gas sulfurization, is the by-product of the process used to remove sulfur from the emissions at the Mitchell Power Plant in Moundsville, W.Va.
“It was on its way to an abandoned mine reclamation project,” Humphreys said.
Humphreys said the slue hardens like cement and can be used to fill mine voids. It also tends to make acidic drainage more alkaline, Humphreys said. It is the high alkalinity that has raised some concern about water quality following the sinking of the barge.
“It is 6.5 miles from the nearest water intake facility, Pennsylvania American Water at Brownsville. They have not seen an impact on their water supply,” Humphreys said. “It’s fortunate that it remains in a cement-like form, but it has to be removed as soon as possible.”
Humphreys said the DEP has asked to be notified in a timely manner so it can have officials on hand when the barge and its 550 to 600 tons of slue are raised.
“We are requiring them to pump the water that comes up with the barge into a holding tank so we can take samples of it, so we can know about what has happened to the river. It’s a water quality issue and a waste issue. They are permitted to transport and dispose of this waste, and they are required to do so in a responsible manner,” Humphreys said.
Humphreys said the barge sank between two docks at Canestrale’s LaBelle facility around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday.
“We received an anonymous tip around 3:18 p.m. that it had occurred,” Humphreys said.
Despite reporting requirements, Canestrale had not contacted the DEP about the incident. No one from Canestrale was available to comment Thursday.