Water Impacts from Coal-Burning Power Plants

The summary for the Water Impacts from Coal-Burning Power Plants grant is detailed below. This summary states who is eligible for the grant, how much grant money will be awarded, current and past deadlines, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) numbers, and a sampling of similar government grants. Verify the accuracy of the data FederalGrants.com provides by visiting the webpage noted in the Link to Full Announcement section or by contacting the appropriate person listed as the Grant Announcement Contact. If any section is incomplete, please visit the website for the Headquarters, which is the U.S. government agency offering this grant.

Water Impacts from Coal-Burning Power Plants: Applications which fit the following description should be submitted under this funding opportunity title of Water Impacts from Coal-Burning Power Plants (DE-PS26-04NT41898-11). Producing electric power from coal has impacts to water quality from the beginning of the process, mining the coal, to the disposal of ash remaining after the coal has been combusted. Coal mining has left large amounts of overburden wastes that contain sulfide minerals that weather to form sulfuric acid. Many of these areas are causing problems with water quality and re-vegetation. It is estimated that 10,000 miles of streams in the United States are affected by acid mine drainage. The EPA has initiated a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) program to restore impaired water bodies, some of which are degraded from past mining. Coal washing is used to remove pyritic sulfur and other impurities that could be emitted into the air; however, wastewater from this process may release these substances to water bodies. A large quantity of water is used in power plants to condense the steam leaving the turbine. Once-through cooling systems can damage aquatic life and add heat to streams. The EPA has developed new regulations under the Clean Water Act, section 316(b), to reduce once through cooling usage of water and improve cooling water intake structures. Re-circulating cooling towers require the addition of biocides and corrosion inhibitors, which may be released to water bodies during blowdowns. Wet scrubbing of air pollutants from flue gas generates a large quantity of wastewater. Ash ponds have the potential for creating run-off problems and groundwater infiltration. Research opportunities for improving water quality associated with coal combustion for power generation include: (1) novel active and passive treatment technologies to address acid mine drainage; (2) innovative solutions to restoring abandoned mine lands to enhance watersheds; (3) improved intake and outflow structures for cooling water; (4) novel uses for waste heat from power plant cooling; (5) advanced water-related sensors and controls at power plants to minimize adverse impacts to water quality; (6) novel treatment techniques for scrubber wastewater; and (7) novel techniques for reducing coal-washing waste and ash pond runoff.