Press Release

A Big Win for Clean Water in the Upper Potomac

Upper Potomac Riverkeeper Brent Walls’s campaign to clean up toxic “black liquor” emanating from Luke, MD, Verso papermill is now one in the “win” column for him — and for the river. Through some innovative sleuthing with his drone and plain old fashioned persistence, and thanks to top flight legal representation by our friends at … Read More

Verso Corporation's Luke Mill

Verso Corp. / Luke Paper Mill Campaign

CAMPAIGN INFORMATION: Washington, D.C. – November 19 – Potomac Riverkeeper Network (PRKN) today filed a Notice of Intent to Sue (NOI) Verso Corporation, owner of the now-closed Luke, Maryland paper mill, for the ongoing unlawful discharges of a toxic waste called “black liquor” into the North Branch of the Upper Potomac River. Black liquor is … Read More

shenandoah river paddlers

Green and Prosperous Valley Vision: SRK’s Chesapeake Bay Trust Collaboration

CAMPAIGN INFORMATION: Shenandoah Valley Clean Water Collaboration Creating a Smart, Green, and Economically Prosperous Watershed Potomac Riverkeeper Network has obtained a $100,000 grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust to develop a Shenandoah Valley “Green Vision” through the use of expanded collaborative forums in the Valley that will be focused on increasing wildlife habitat and biodiversity; … Read More

Toxic Wastewater Discharges from Coal Power Plants

CAMPAIGN INFORMATION: EPA’s 2015 “Effluent Limitation Guideline” Rule was developed to deal with the discharge of toxic metals and other pollutants removed from coal plants’ air emissions in response to more protective air pollution standards issued over a decade ago. The same metals that were being “scrubbed” from coal plant smokestacks were being dumped with … Read More

Safe Disposal of Coal Ash at Possum Point Campaign

CAMPAIGN INFORMATION: PROJECT UPDATE: Virginia lawmakers have approved legislation to require the state’s largest electric utility to excavate and clean up unlined coal ash pits.  The General Assembly approved legislation that requires Dominion Energy to recycle or safely landfill millions of cubic yards of coal ash currently located at sites around the state.  Gov. Ralph Northam is … Read More

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NRG Dickerson Power Plant

CAMPAIGN INFORMATION: In 2013, Potomac Riverkeeper, Patuxent Riverkeeper and Food & Water Watch filed a notice of intent to sue to NRG. NRG operates coal powered generating stations at Chalk Point on the Patuxent River and at Dickerson on the Potomac River. One of our main concerns was that NRG tried to persuade the state … Read More

West Virginia’s Weak Discharge Permits Into the Maryland Owned Potomac River

Facilities in West Virginia that discharge pollution into the [Maryland-owned] Potomac River often follow much weaker standards than their Maryland counterpart. For example, many permits do not require daily monitoring for TMDLS’s (total maximum discharge limits), allowing much higher amounts of pollutants to enter the water as would otherwise be considered a violation of water … Read More

Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC)

In 2014, our attorneys at Environmental Integrity Project filed a lawsuit against the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) for illegal discharges of millions of pounds aluminum and Total Suspended Solids exceeding permitted limits. On October 21, 2015, WSSC elected to enter into a binding legal agreement with Potomac Riverkeeper, the State of Maryland and Chesapeake Bay … Read More

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