Xcel’s Boulder Coal Ash Cleanup Is Moving Forward. Critics Say Another Source of Pollution Remains.
Colorado regulators are reviewing Xcel’s first-of-its-kind groundwater treatment plan as contamination has spread into two plumes and reached at least one private well.
- Colorado regulators are reviewing Xcel Energy's proposed groundwater extraction system at the Valmont Power Station, a first-of-its-kind project designed to intercept contaminated plumes of lithium and selenium before they migrate farther from the site.
- Almost a century of coal burning at Valmont Station left 1.6 million cubic yards of ash, contaminating groundwater since at least 2017 and affecting at least one nearby residential well.
- The system uses extraction wells and collection trenches to intercept contaminated groundwater, with construction expected to take five to seven months. Erin Dodge, a water quality program coordinator with Boulder County Public Health, stated the treatment system is "critical to help prevent the continued or further spread of groundwater contamination."
- While Xcel plans to excavate the 1993 landfill, environmental advocates argue a legacy landfill remains an unaddressed pollution source. Abel Russ, a lawyer with the Environmental Integrity Project, warned "they're ignoring what may be an equal contributor to the contamination."
- Xcel requires several permits from Boulder County before construction can begin, with the system potentially operating in early 2027. Federal regulations regarding legacy landfills face potential rollbacks by the Trump administration, creating uncertainty for future cleanup obligations.
15 Articles
15 Articles
Xcel's Boulder coal ash cleanup is moving forward. Critics say an
Colorado regulators are reviewing Xcel Energy’s final plan to clean up groundwater contamination caused by decades of coal ash disposal at the Valmont Power Station. The project, which could begin construction as early as late summer, follows years of contamination that migrated beyond the company’s property and was detected in at least one nearby residential well. The proposed system would pump contaminated groundwater from beneath the site and…
The Toronto Star
Xcel’s Boulder coal ash cleanup is moving forward. Critics say another source of pollution remains.
Colorado regulators are reviewing Xcel Energy’s final plan to clean up groundwater contamination caused by decades of coal ash disposal at the Valmont Power Station. The project, which could begin construction as early as late summer, follows years of contamination…
Xcel's Boulder coal ash cleanup is moving forward. But questions remain.
Colorado regulators are reviewing Xcel Energy’s final plan to clean up groundwater contamination caused by decades of coal ash disposal at the Valmont Power Station. The project, which could begin construction as early as late summer, comes after contamination migrated beyond Xcel’s property and was detected in at least one nearby private well. The proposed system would pump contaminated groundwater from beneath the site and transport it for tre…
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