Call for Immediate Cleanup of San Juan Coal Plant

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Secretary of New Mexico Environment Department

Subject: Require remediation of the San Juan Generating Station site now

Message:

Dear Secretary Kenney, I am a resident of New Mexico. I understand that Public Service Company of New Mexico (“PNM”) is finally closing its flagship coal plant, San Juan Generating Station (SJGS) and the adjacent San Juan Mine (SJM), after 50 years of operation. I also understand that PNM’s currently plans a “retirement-in-place” scenario, meaning PNM would shut down operations at SJGS without full plant decommissioning and reclamation. The New Mexico Environment Department needs to conduct an independent comprehensive evaluation of the SJGS site and adjacent mine, provide an assessment of the damages to the environment and public health, and institute a plan for clean-up with appropriate oversight and monitoring to ensure compliance. I have three areas of specific concern: 1.	Coal Combustion Residue (CCR), also known as “coal ash,” from the SJGS is being disposed in surface mine pits at the adjacent San Juan Mine (SJM). Failure to isolate coal ash waste from water will result in leaching of contaminants, which will degrade water quality and negatively impact the environment and public health, including increased rates of cancer, respiratory illnesses and birth defects. 2.	Existing Nitrate Plume: Since 2014, PNM has reported at least 14 major spills of contaminants on the San Juan site to the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED). The largest discharge of the last ten years, a spill of processed water contaminants from San Juan’s North Evaporation Pond, was not reported to NMED. The North Evaporation Pond discharge caused a plume of nitrate contaminants and impacted local groundwater at San Juan. Water samples have contained elevated nitrate, sulfate, chloride and total dissolved solids. These toxins are all carcinogenic. 3.	Golden Pond: SJGS chemical-filled wastewater from all sources was dumped for years into an unlined pit that workers referred to as “golden pond” because of the dark yellow color of the liquid waste that workers put into the pit. When workers could not process the wastewater fast enough PNM employees opened the pond drain valve to release excess wastewater into the Shumway Arroyo. The “overflow” waste was discharged regularly into the Shumway Arroyo for years. The Shumway Arroyo emptied into the San Juan River. Given this known history of contamination (let alone what is unknown), an independent comprehensive assessment must be performed in order to develop a comprehensive cleanup plan. New Mexican communities, especially Diné communities, know too well what happens when industrial polluters are allowed to walk away from projects at the time of closure. The cleanup must be done NOW. Until it is remediated, the site poses an ongoing health and environmental threat to the immediate community.

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TELL NMED SECRETARY JAMES KENNEY TO REQUIRE CLEAN UP OF THE SAN JUAN COAL PLANT NOW

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