The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is hosting an online public hearing Thursday about proposed changes to rules on coal ash impoundments.
EPA is proposing to:
- Create an additional option for facilities to certify closure of legacy coal combustion residuals (CCR) surface impoundments by removal of CCR, provided they completed these closures prior to November 8, 2024, and under the oversight of regulatory authorities.
- Modify or remove three of the criteria that facilities with legacy surface impoundments closed prior to November 8, 2024, must currently meet to be eligible for the deferral from complying with the CCR unit closure standards until site-specific decisions are made by permit authorities.
- Exempt from the CCR regulations in Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 257 certain structures primarily used to dewater CCR waste that facilitate disposal of the CCR elsewhere.
- Rescind all CCR management unit requirements and accept comments on alternative approaches that would include revisions to the existing CCR management unit regulations.
The EPA will accept written comments on this proposal through June 12.
According to a map produced by the environmental group Earth Justice, there are 16 coal ash storage or impoundment sites in West Virginia.
Concerns over these changes include deregulation of heavy metals and ground water contamination.
Earth Justice encourages concerned citizens to submit a statement that reads, in part:
“Coal ash contains hazardous pollutants such as arsenic, lead, chromium, and radium, which are linked to cancer, neurological damage, and other serious health harms. Across the country, coal ash has already contaminated groundwater at nearly every coal plant site, with water polluted above federal safety standards at almost every coal plant. The existing coal ash rules were established to address this widespread contamination and to ensure that power plant owners monitor contamination and clean up their toxic pollution. These protections were strengthened in 2024 to cover older, previously unregulated coal ash dumps that continue to threaten sources of drinking water and nearby communities.
“Weakening these safeguards would allow more toxic pollution to enter our water, make cleanup more difficult, and put public health at risk. Communities living near coal plants, often working-class communities and communities of color, are already bearing the burden of this contamination.”
Register here to listen to the virtual hearing or offer comments.