EPA rap for non-compliant Moneypoint

MONEYPOINT ESB power station has been ordered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to submit a schedule to the agency before Thursday, August 19 detailing how non-compliance issues at the station will be addressed and rectified.

The non-compliances relate to an ash cloud drifting onto houses close to the West Clare station from the ash landfill on Sunday, July 4 and black smoke emissions emanating from the eastern stack at Moneypoint on Sunday, July 11. The report says ESB Moneypoint failed to meet the conditions required of their Integrated Pollution Prevention Control Licence (IPPC) in these instances.
The site inspection, which ESB Moneypoint knew was going to be carried out, took place on July 15 and was overseen by EPA inspector John Doheny. 
As recently as last month, residents near the power station had their houses, property and cars covered in ash when strong winds carried ash from the ash pit as far as Killimer church. This was one of a number of similar incidents in recent years.
“Local residents noted a dust cloud being carried by the wind, from the ash landfill, around midday on Sunday, July 4,” the EPA report stated. “They contacted the facility to report the dust cloud and also contacted the agency. Photographs of the dust cloud were forwarded to the agency by one of the complainants. It took over two hours before the dust was brought under control.”
Some of the corrective action the report suggests includes the covering of ash as soon as practicable after placement.
“There are large areas of uncovered ash at a number of locations within the ash landfill. A plan should be put in place to temporarily cover this ash, while awaiting further ash disposal or final cover,” the report stipulates.
“The landfill areas on site should be checked a number of times daily, including weekends, to ensure that all disposal procedures are being carried out in accordance with best practice and to ensure that the landfills are being managed properly,” the report adds.
With reference to the smoke emissions at 5.15pm on Sunday, July 11, the report says ESB Moneypoint did not make contact with a resident, who had contacted the station to inform them that the smoke emissions had lasted for about two hours.
“One of the residents rang the station the following day to report the smoke. As the environmental manager was not available, she left a message for him to ring back. He did not return her call,” Mr Doheny reported.
“Elevated dust emissions from the stack lasted for approximately four hours on July 11. The smoke emissions were not reported to the agency (EPA) by the licensee,” the report stated.
Corrective action suggested includes putting in place a procedure for routine checking and recording of the smoke colour from each stack at the station.
“Records must be kept on site for inspection by agency personnel during future inspections and audits,” the five-page report said.
In a number of additional observations, Mr Doheny suggests ESB Moneypoint management cap the ash landfill and add a dust monitor at the eastern boundary of the landfill.
In a letter to John Wall, station chemist and environmental co-ordinator, Mr Doheny stressed that if ESB Moneypoint fail to comply with the report recommendations, further action will follow. “Failure to comply with the requirements specified in this notification of non-compliance will lead to further enforcement action by the EPA,” the agency inspector warned.
Meanwhile, locals Eve and Seán Browne are due to meet with newly appointed ESB Moneypoint station manager, Glen Pope and Mr Wall next Monday. Ms Browne says she will present a letter signed by a number of residents, recommending the establishment of a community forum involving the power station and local people.
“We would hope that Moneypoint will agree to meet residents regularly and have a structured forum whereby we can meet with the environmental co-ordinator and the station manager. We would like to discuss issues of concern to local residents and have very open dialogue. We would prefer not to wait for issues to come up and to have questions answered. We’re putting the onus on Moneypoint to set that up,” she told The Clare Champion on Wednesday.
In a statement to The Clare Champion, the ESB said they took action following the ash incident early last month.
“ESB was in contact with residents during and after an incident relating to dust, which had blown inland off Moneypoint’s ash storage site as a result of gale force winds, following a lengthy dry period, on Sunday, July 4.
“ESB had initiated remedial action at the ash storage area prior to receiving the complaint. This action involved dampening the ground surface to prevent dust dispersal. Actions were taken to ensure no recurrence of this incident at site. Those actions are now in situ to ensure the ongoing containment,” the ESB statement read.