Environmentalists oppose EPA plan to weaken coal ash cleanup rules
The Story
At a virtual public comment hearing hosted by the US Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday, environmental advocates voiced strong opposition to proposed regulations that would weaken requirements for cleaning up coal ash residue at power plant sites. The Trump administration announced in April it would repeal a 2024 Biden-era rule requiring monitoring at inactive coal plants and loosen groundwater protection standards, instead relying on states for enforcement.
Key Facts
- The virtual public comment hearing was held by the US Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday.
- Lisa Evans, senior counsel at Earthjustice and a former EPA attorney, criticized the proposed changes in a statement.
- The Trump administration announced in April it would repeal a 2024 rule requiring utilities to monitor coal ash sites at inactive coal plants.
- The Trump EPA also said it would loosen requirements for protecting groundwater near those sites and allow states to bypass national standards in some cases.
- EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin called the proposed changes “commonsense changes” that reflect the agency’s commitment to “American energy dominance” and “cooperative federalism.”
- The proposed rule would exempt some coal ash storage sites from regulation and permit power plant owners to minimize, delay, or avoid dealing with coal ash.
- Coal ash contains potentially toxic levels of mercury, arsenic, and lead, which are associated with health problems including cancer.
- More than half of coal ash is used each year in concrete, drywall, or other industrial applications, which the coal industry calls “beneficial use.”
- A 2022 study by Earthjustice and other environmental groups found that more than 90 percent of coal power plants across America were contaminating groundwater via coal ash residues.
Conflicting Reports
No conflicting reports identified in the source article.
Still Unclear
No open questions identified in the source article.
Misconceptions
No widespread misconceptions addressed in the source article.
Key Figures
- Lisa Evans, senior counsel at Earthjustice and former EPA attorney
- Lee Zeldin, EPA Administrator
Sources: Ars Technica
