MARKETS

Power stations get tighter clean water rules

THE US Environmental Protection Agency has finalised a rule aimed at reducing the discharge of to...

Noel Dyson

The rule also wants to reduce water withdrawal by 16.3 billion litres a year.

Altogether that is expected to give an estimated $US463 ($A660) million a year benefit.

“Today EPA is setting the first national limits to protect public health and reduce toxic pollutants including mercury, arsenic, lead and selenium released into America’s waterways by steam electric power plants,” EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said.

“These cost effective, achievable limits will provide significant protections for our children and communities across the country, including minority and low-income communities, from exposure to pollutants that can cause neurological damage in children, cancer and other serious health problems.”

Each year steam electric plants discharge almost 30t of lead and 1.4t of mercury, 36t of arsenic, more than 100t of selenium, 13,800t of nitrogen and 309t of phosphorous.

About 14,750km of streams and rivers are damaged by steam electric discharges.

According to the EPA there are about 1080 steam electric plants and of those, 134 will have to make investments to meet the requirements of this rule.

The requirements do not apply to plants that are either oil-fired or smaller than 50 megawatts.

TOPICS:

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the mining sector, brought to you by the Mining Monthly Intelligence team.

A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the mining sector, brought to you by the Mining Monthly Intelligence team.

editions

ESG Mining Company Index: Benchmarking the Future of Sustainable Mining

The ESG Mining Company Index report provides an in-depth evaluation of ESG performance of 61 of the world's largest mining companies. Using a robust framework, it assesses each company across 9 meticulously weighted indicators within 6 essential pillars.

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Exploration Report 2024 (feat. Opaxe data)

A comprehensive review of exploration trends and technologies, highlighting the best intercepts and discoveries and the latest initial resource estimates.

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Future Fleets Report 2024

The report paints a picture of the equipment landscape and includes detailed profiles of mines that are employing these fleets

editions

Mining Magazine Intelligence Digitalisation Report 2023

An in-depth review of operations that use digitalisation technology to drive improvements across all areas of mining production