The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has extended the public comment period on the agency’s proposal to regulate under the Resource Conservation and Reclamation Act (RCRA) the disposal and management of coal ash from coal-fired power plants from September 20, 2010 to November 19, 2010. EPA’s proposed regulations are the first-ever national effort to ensure the safe management of coal ash from coal-fired power plants. The EPA cites that the December 2008 spill of coal ash from a surface impoundment near Kingston, Tenn. demonstrated the need for the proposed regulations. The proposal sets forth two proposals for public comment, the more stringent of which calls for protective controls, such as liners and ground water monitoring, to be placed at new landfills to protect groundwater and human health. In addition to coal-fired power plant operators, those making public comments to date have included industries currently engaged in activities to recycle coal ash for beneficial purposes, such as in cement manufacturing and road construction. Other commenters include organizations such as Green Century Capital Management and As You Sow, which argue that “current regulations are not enough to mitigate environmental and financial risks for utilities and shareholders.”
If you wish to see submitted public comments and other documents entered into the docket for the proposed regulations or to express your company’s position, go here.
For information on the proposed regulations, click here.
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