CLEANSING THE AIR AT THE EXPENSE OF WATERWAYS
Hatfieldprobably
The counties surrounding Hatfield's Ferry -- which are home to multiple universities -- are an example of what hangs in the balance as this debate plays out.
 Last year  when Hatfield's Ferry asked the state for permission to dump scrubber wastewater into the Monongahela River  the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection approved the request with proposed limits on some chemicals.
 Records show  and company officials concede  that Hatfield's Ferry is already dumping scrubber wastewater into the Monongahela that violates the state's few proposed pollution rules. Moreover  those rules have been suspended until a judge decides on the plant's appeal of the proposed limits.
 "It's really important to set a precedent that tells power plants that they need to genuinely clean up pollution  rather than just shift it from the air to the water " said Abigail Dillen  a lawyer with the law firm Earthjustice  which represents two advocacy organizations  the Environmental Integrity Project and the Citizens Coal Council  in asking a Pennsylvania court to toughen regulations on Hatfield's Ferry.
 State officials say they have established appropriate water pollution limits for Hatfield's Ferry  and have strict standards for landfill disposal.
 However  environmental groups have argued in court documents and interviews that Hatfield's Ferry probably will emit dangerous chemicals  and that they fear the state is unlikely to intervene.
 For instance  Pennsylvania has opposed designating the waste from Hatfield's Ferry and other power plants as hazardous. In a statement  the Department of Environmental Protection said the state had "sufficient state and federal laws and regulations at our disposal to control wastewater discharges at levels protective of the environment and public health."
Hatfield's Ferry. "But I see people suffering every day because of this pollution."
 Officials at Hatfield's Ferry say there is no reason for residents to be concerned. They say that lawsuits against the plant are without merit  and that they have installed a $25 million water treatment plant that removes many of the toxic particles and solids from scrubber wastewater. The solids are put into a 106-acre landfill that contains a synthetic liner to prevent leaks.
The counties surrounding Hatfield's Ferry -- which are home to multiple universities -- are an example of what hangs in the balance as this debate plays out.
 Last year  when [TGT]'s Ferry asked the state for permission to dump scrubber wastewater into the Monongahela River  the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection approved the request with proposed limits on some chemicals.
 Records show  and company officials concede  that [TGT]'s Ferry is already dumping scrubber wastewater into the Monongahela that violates the state's few proposed pollution rules. Moreover  those rules have been suspended until a judge decides on the plant's appeal of the proposed limits.
 "It's really important to set a precedent that tells power plants that they need to genuinely clean up pollution  rather than just shift it from the air to the water " said Abigail Dillen  a lawyer with the law firm Earthjustice  which represents two advocacy organizations  the Environmental Integrity Project and the Citizens Coal Council  in asking a Pennsylvania court to toughen regulations on [TGT]'s Ferry.
 State officials say they have established appropriate water pollution limits for [TGT]'s Ferry  and have strict standards for landfill disposal.
 However  environmental groups have argued in court documents and interviews that [TGT]'s Ferry probably will emit dangerous chemicals  and that they fear the state is unlikely to intervene.
 For instance  Pennsylvania has opposed designating the waste from [TGT]'s Ferry and other power plants as hazardous. In a statement  the Department of Environmental Protection said the state had "sufficient state and federal laws and regulations at our disposal to control wastewater discharges at levels protective of the environment and public health."
[TGT]'s Ferry. "But I see people suffering every day because of this pollution."
 Officials at [TGT]'s Ferry say there is no reason for residents to be concerned. They say that lawsuits against the plant are without merit  and that they have installed a $25 million water treatment plant that removes many of the toxic particles and solids from scrubber wastewater. The solids are put into a 106-acre landfill that contains a synthetic liner to prevent leaks.