South Carolina regulators want coal tar removed from river

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - Environmental regulators in South Carolina want a utility to remove coal tar from the Congaree River in Columbia.

The Department of Health and Environmental Control has written South Carolina Electric and Gas Co. about proceeding with plans to remove most of the coal tar from where it is most concentrated in the river, The State newspaper reported .

Coal tar is a byproduct of manufacturing natural gas. SCE&G had a plant near the river from the late 1800s to the 1950s. Officials think the chemical leached into the river.

Coal tar is hazardous to people, fish and wildlife.

Officials think there’s about 40,000 tons (36,300 metric tons) of the sludge in the riverbed, covering about 11 acres (44.500 square meters).

DHEC had proposed in 2013 that SCE&G build temporary dams in the river to allow the removal of the coal tar. That plan was abandoned in 2016 because of the cost and feasibility of the project. The cost of removing the tar was estimated at about $18.5 million.

In 2017, state regulators agreed to allow SCE&G and put fabric and stone on top of the sludge. SCE&G said that would cost about $7.5 million.

But federal environmental officials said last year the utility was misleading in its justification to abandon the removal project and pushed SCE&G to dig out the coal tar.

SCE&G said in a statement that it is working with DHEC and appropriate local and federal agencies and with those with an interest in the coal tar to develop a consensus approach.

A meeting is set April 2 to discuss how to deal with the material.

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Information from: The State, http://www.thestate.com