Location
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Start Date
14-5-2024 1:00 PM
End Date
14-5-2024 1:30 PM
Description
Planning and Implementation of Closure by Removal Paired with Beneficial Use Authors Mr. Jay Mokotoff - United States - AECOM Mrs. Angela Casbon-Scheller - United States - CenterPoint Energy Abstract While there are numerous ash ponds containing saturated mixed CCR that are closing by removal, few have attempted to beneficially use the mixed CCR materials from these ponds. To comply with the CCR Rule, a large midwestern utility is closing their 170-acre valley-fill ash pond by removal and is successfully recycling the majority of the 6M cubic yards of mixed CCR materials. This presentation will focus on the advance planning stage of this project, as well as the challenges encountered and lessons learned during the ongoing pond closure and beneficial use of the CCR materials. This project involved significant up-front planning, including extensive ash sampling and 3D environmental visualization system (EVS) modeling to map the impoundment and develop an excavation and blending plan to maximize the quantity of materials recycled. Lessons learned during excavation of the pond include challenges associated with high moisture and inconsistent ash quality, methods used to identify materials suitable for recycling, monitoring of material quality, blending methods to comply with end-user specifications, electronic record-keeping methods, and communication between the field sampling team, analytical laboratory and recycler. Working with the owner, excavation contractor, infrastructure contractor and end-user, many challenges have been addressed and will continue to be addressed, to achieve a safe, efficient, and cost-effective solution for compliance, while at the same time ultimately restoring the historical valley. The planning phase of this project started in 2017, the first barges were loaded with recyclable material in 2021 and the pond is scheduled to be closed by 2035.
Document Type
Presentation
Planning & Implementation of Closure-by-Removal Paired with Beneficial Use
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Planning and Implementation of Closure by Removal Paired with Beneficial Use Authors Mr. Jay Mokotoff - United States - AECOM Mrs. Angela Casbon-Scheller - United States - CenterPoint Energy Abstract While there are numerous ash ponds containing saturated mixed CCR that are closing by removal, few have attempted to beneficially use the mixed CCR materials from these ponds. To comply with the CCR Rule, a large midwestern utility is closing their 170-acre valley-fill ash pond by removal and is successfully recycling the majority of the 6M cubic yards of mixed CCR materials. This presentation will focus on the advance planning stage of this project, as well as the challenges encountered and lessons learned during the ongoing pond closure and beneficial use of the CCR materials. This project involved significant up-front planning, including extensive ash sampling and 3D environmental visualization system (EVS) modeling to map the impoundment and develop an excavation and blending plan to maximize the quantity of materials recycled. Lessons learned during excavation of the pond include challenges associated with high moisture and inconsistent ash quality, methods used to identify materials suitable for recycling, monitoring of material quality, blending methods to comply with end-user specifications, electronic record-keeping methods, and communication between the field sampling team, analytical laboratory and recycler. Working with the owner, excavation contractor, infrastructure contractor and end-user, many challenges have been addressed and will continue to be addressed, to achieve a safe, efficient, and cost-effective solution for compliance, while at the same time ultimately restoring the historical valley. The planning phase of this project started in 2017, the first barges were loaded with recyclable material in 2021 and the pond is scheduled to be closed by 2035.
