title: Damage cost of the Dan River coal ash spill.
abstract: The recent coal ash spill on the Dan River in North Carolina, USA has caused several negative effects on the environment and the public. In this analysis, I report a monetized value for these effects after the first 6 months following the spill. The combined cost of ecological damage, recreational impacts, effects on human health and consumptive use, and esthetic value losses totals $295,485,000. Because the environmental impact and associated economic costs of riverine coal ash spills can be long-term, on the order of years or even decades, this 6-month assessment should be viewed as a short-term preview. The total cumulative damage cost from the Dan River coal ash spill could go much higher.
authors.affiliation: 215 Sapona Road, Lexington, NC 27295, USA. Electronic address: lemlyad@wfu.edu.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dennis Lemly
mesh_terms: D055884:Chemical Hazard Release / Q000191:economics*; D060729:Coal Ash / Q000032:analysis*; D004777:Environment; D006256:Hazardous Waste / Q000032:analysis*; D009657:North Carolina; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D060729:Coal Ash; D006256:Hazardous Waste; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Coal ash; Copper; Dan River; Duke Energy; Fish; Selenium; Wildlife