I’m no environmental expert but a reading of this story in today’s Virginian Pilot raises more questions than it answers about a Chesapeake golf course, built over 1.5 million tons of fly ash, the byproduct of burning coal.
If this were not a golf course, an industrial park or a similar venture, it would have to be regulated like a landfill. But because of a provision in the environmental regulations encouraging the “beneficial use” of fly ash, it’s considered a “coal combustion byproduct” project instead of an industrial waste landfill.
It seems to me that despite the “beneficial use,” regulations would provide for some ongoing testing to make sure that the product does not contaminate the groundwater. The mere fact that the course has no running water should clue somebody in that something is amiss.
In 2006, the Chesapeake Health Department denied an application for a septic field on the site because a soil scientist found evidence that the seasonal water table was 0 inches, virtually flush with the soil surface.
At the very least, there should be a way to compel Dominion to release their copies of the consultant’s report on the water-table location.
Somebody needs to look into this further – and quickly.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
Or…
They could not use toxic materials at all. Any sort of toxic material should be used only where it can be properly contained. A “beneficial use” of fly ash would be to NOT bury it in the ground.
Many, many golf courses across the country were built on landfills containing carcinogenic chemicals and highly explosive, highly flammable gases. Protect yourself before living near a golf course or playing on one by researching the previous land-use.
Janice R. England, People Investigating Toxic Sites
[off-topic copy and paste post removed – vjp]
Chaz – don’t copy and paste entire articles that have nothing to do with the topic.