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Stronghold Digital Mining, DEP, Environmental Groups Settle Appeal, Require Removal Of Unpermitted Scrubgrass Power Plant's Coal Ash Pile 14 Months Faster In Venango County

On March 7, the Scrubgrass Creek Watershed Association and PennFuture, represented by Earthjustice, announced they had reached a settlement agreement with the Department of Environmental Protection and Stronghold Digital Mining’s Scrubgrass Reclamation Company to expedite the removal of an unpermitted coal ash pile at the Scrubgrass Waste Coal Power Plant in Scrubgrass Township, Venango County.

The cryptocurrency mining facility must remove the ash pile by September 2026-- 14 months sooner than initially required.

The settlement also requires Scrubgrass to implement various on-site measures to mitigate the damage caused by the hazardous coal ash and to report progress updates directly to the Creek Watershed Association and PennFuture.

Flagged as a permit violation DEP site inspection in 2022, the coal ash pile had surpassed the approved size, enveloping parts of the surrounding area.

DEP originally gave Scrubgrass four years to remove the coal ash.

However, in 2023, the Scrubgrass Creek Watershed Association and PennFuture appealed the original agreement, leading to this week’s settlement.

As a result, the coal ash "mountain" will now be removed fourteen months ahead of schedule.

“Neighbors in Venango County have long worked for a solution to this dangerous ash pile that threatened our community. This settlement marks a step forward in both progress and accountability,” said Tom Thomas of the Scrubgrass Creek Watershed Association.

“The size of the toxic ash pile at the Scrubgrass cryptomining facility had turned waste coal into an even riskier form of pollution,” said Patrick McDonnell, President and CEO of PennFuture. “Coal ash cannot be allowed to pollute our water and air, and we are proud to be furthering the fight for Pennsylvanians’ right to a clean and healthy environment.”

“Coal ash has impacted Pennsylvania’s environment for decades,” said Charles McPhedran, Senior Attorney with Earthjustice. “Cleaning up this enormous ash pile is an important step to address this threat.”

Coal ash is the waste leftover from burned waste coal, containing a toxic mix of carcinogens, neurotoxins, and hazardous materials linked to health issues including cancer, heart and thyroid disease, reproductive failure, and neurological harm.

The Scrubgrass Power Plant, owned by cryptocurrency mining company Stronghold Digital Mining, Inc., uses waste coal to fuel its operations, which results in large quantities of coal ash.

According to recent reporting, Bitfarms, Ltd. will soon purchase Stronghold Digital Mining, the current owner of the Scrubgrass plant. Reportedly, Bitfarms plans to sharply increase power consumption at Scrubgrass.

Click Here for the revised Consent Order and Agreement.

Resource Links - Scrubgrass Cryptocurrency:

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak: Canadian Bitfarms Cryptocurrency Mining Co. Wants Pennsylvania’s Power, So It’s Buying 2 Stronghold Waste Coal-fired Power Plants In Carbon, Venango Counties

-- Post-Gazette: How Cryptocurrency Is Mined And Why Canadian Bitcoin Mining Co. Wants To Do It In Pennsylvania

-- PA Enviro Groups File Appeal For Removal Of Coal Ash 'Mountain’ At Stronghold Digital Mining Scrubgrass Cryptocurrency Power Facility In Venango County [PaEN]

-- DEP Publishes Appeal Notice For 2023 Consent Order With Stronghold Digital Mining On Removal Of Coal Ash, Imposing $28,800 Penalty At Waste Coal Power Plant In Venango County [PaEN]

-- DEP OKs Coal Ash Use For Structural Fill To Build Data Mining Operation At Coal Waste-Fired Scrubgrass Power Plant In Venango County [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- Scranton Times: Developer Proposes Massive Data Center Campus In Lackawanna County

-- AP - Marc Levy: In A Reversal, Plans For US Natural Gas Power Grow, Complicating Progress On Climate [PA Natural Gas]

-- AP - Marc Levy: Facing Competition From Big Tech, States Dangle Incentives, Loosen Laws To Attract Power Plants [PA Highlighted]

-- Guest Essay: Significant Electricity Load Growth Can Be Accommodated Without A Stampede To New Natural Gas Generation Just By Increasing Efficiency At Existing Power Plants - By John Quigley, Senior Fellow, Kleinman Center For Energy Policy [PaEN]