CONWAY, S.C. (AP) - A South Carolina city and a utility have agreed to allow an old power plant cooling lake to become wetlands with native species.
Conway City Council and the state-owned utility Santee Cooper, reached an agreement about Lake Busbee, which was part of the Grainger Generating Station, which closed in 2012.
The lake was built for the coal-fired plant in the 1960s.
Media outlets reported the city council voted Monday against taking ownership of the lake, which is contaminated with pollutants including arsenic. That’s prevented it from being used for fishing, swimming or kayaking.
Santee Cooper has continued to pump water into the lake while Conway officials decided what to do.
The city and the utility will monitor the lake as it drains and will add appropriate plants next year.
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