Grainger Coal Ash Gone But Not Forgotten

We will remember this year for an ending…the end of coal ash at the former Grainger generating station polluting our water and threatening our communities.

In May, Santee Cooper announced that the last truckload of coal ash was hauled from the site.

Our journey started years before, working with our partners and the community to push for full and complete excavation and removal of coal ash from the banks of the Waccamaw River in downtown Conway.

Here’s the timeline:

March 17, 2014 – removal of ash for beneficial use began

June 12, 2016 – removal of soil for beneficial use began

April 5, 2017 – removal of ash for disposal at the Cross Generating Station Class 3 landfill began

November 12, 2018 – temporary storage of ash at Winyah Generating Station “A” Ash Pond started

December 19, 2018 – temporary storage of soil at Winyah Generating Station “A” Ash Pond started

February 14, 2019 – Grainger soil temporarily stored at Winyah began to be used for daily cover at Class 3 landfills

April 16, 2019 – Grainger ash temporarily stored at Winyah began transfer to facility for beneficial use

The total ash removed from Grainger was 1,748,622 tons.

Thanks to all who helped to reach this milestone and protect our wonderful Waccamaw and the communities, human and natural, that rely on it.