"Leaking Dominion Virginia Power Coal Ash Ponds Spur Complaint"

"Three conservation groups accused Dominion Virginia Power Wednesday of illegally discharging coal ash waste into the Potomac River.

Five coal ash ponds at Dominion’s Possum Point power plant, 30 miles south of Washington, "have been illegally leaking toxic pollutants for decades into groundwater and two popular waterways,” the Southern Environmental Law Center, representing Potomac Riverkeeper and the Sierra Club, said in a statement. The groups made the allegation in a notice filed Wednesday with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and with the utility.

The groups said they are prepared to sue Dominion if the pollution is not addressed. They alleged the state DEQ has been aware of the problem, but has been unresponsive."

Akbar Shahid Ahmed reports for the Huffington Post September 17, 2014.