AL.com
According to the Environmental Protection Agency coal ash threatens the waterways, wildlife, fish and drinking water in St. Clair County. Coal ash is produced when coal is combusted in power plants leaving leftover waste that contains heavy metals such as arsenic, mercury, and lead. Coosa Riverkeeper gave ABC 3340 News a tour of Lay Lake to see the size and scope of the coal ash pond at the Gaston Steam Plant near Wilsonville in Shelby County.
According to Coosa Riverkeeper Executive Director Justinn Overton the coal ash pond is over 200 acres. The impound is one of 16 federally regulated coal ash ponds and landfills across Alabama. There's an estimated 118 million cubic yards of toxic waste.