This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jul/18/epa-coal-ash-obama-regulations-rolled-back

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
EPA fans struggling coal industry by rolling back pollution regulations EPA fans struggling coal industry by rolling back pollution regulations
(about 2 hours later)
The Trump administration on Wednesday eased rules for handling toxic coal ash from more than 400 US coal-fired power plants after utilities pushed back against regulations adopted under former president Barack Obama. The Trump administration on Wednesday eased rules for handling toxic coal ash from more than 400 US coal-fired power plants after utilities pushed back against regulations adopted under Barack Obama.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) acting administrator Andrew Wheeler said the changes would save utilities roughly $30m annually. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) acting administrator, Andrew Wheeler, said the changes would save utilities roughly $30m annually.
The move represents the latest action by Donald Trump’s EPA to boost the struggling coal industry by rolling back environmental and public health protections enacted under his predecessor.The move represents the latest action by Donald Trump’s EPA to boost the struggling coal industry by rolling back environmental and public health protections enacted under his predecessor.
It pushes back the deadline to close problematic ash dumps and gives state regulators flexibility in how they deal with the massive waste piles that result from burning coal for electricity. It pushes back the deadline to close problematic ash dumps and gives state regulators flexibility in how they deal with the vast waste piles that result from burning coal for electricity.
Environmentalists argued the administration is endangering the health of people living near power plants and ash storage sites, while industry representatives welcomed the announcement. Environmentalists argued the administration was endangering the health of people living near power plants and ash storage sites, while industry representatives welcomed the announcement.
US coal plants produce about 100m tons annually of ash and other waste, much of which ends up in unlined disposal ponds prone to leak. Some have been in use for decades.US coal plants produce about 100m tons annually of ash and other waste, much of which ends up in unlined disposal ponds prone to leak. Some have been in use for decades.
Data released by utilities in March under an EPA mandate showed widespread evidence of groundwater contamination at coal plants. Heightened levels of pollutants, including arsenic and radium in some cases, were documented at plants in numerous states, from Virginia to Alaska.Data released by utilities in March under an EPA mandate showed widespread evidence of groundwater contamination at coal plants. Heightened levels of pollutants, including arsenic and radium in some cases, were documented at plants in numerous states, from Virginia to Alaska.
EPA documents show most savings for utilities from the new rules will come from extending by 18 months the deadline to close ash dumps that don’t meet water protection standards. The new deadline is 31 October 2020.EPA documents show most savings for utilities from the new rules will come from extending by 18 months the deadline to close ash dumps that don’t meet water protection standards. The new deadline is 31 October 2020.
The utility industry said the changes give “regulatory certainty” for ash dump operators. That’s in part because it aligns the closure requirements with upcoming guidelines limiting the levels of toxic metals in wastewater discharged from power plants. The utility industry said the change provided “regulatory certainty” for ash dump operators. That’s in part because it aligns the closure requirements with forthcoming guidelines limiting the levels of toxic metals in wastewater discharged from power plants.
The changes also give state regulators the power to suspend monitoring requirements for dumps that don’t meet water quality standards.The changes also give state regulators the power to suspend monitoring requirements for dumps that don’t meet water quality standards.
“It’s not like EPA has granted us free pass here. It just gives us additional time to operate those facilities and better synch them up” with the upcoming wastewater guidelines, said James Roewer, executive director of the Utility Solid Waste Advisory Group, an industry organization that had pushed for the changes. “It’s not like EPA has granted us a free pass here. It just gives us additional time to operate those facilities and better synch them up” with the coming wastewater guidelines, said James Roewer, executive director of the Utility Solid Waste Advisory Group, an industry organization that had pushed for the changes.
The original, Obama-era rule, adopted in 2015, came in response to a massive 2008 coal ash spill in Kingston, Tennessee. A containment dike burst at a Tennessee Valley Authority power plant and released 5.4m cubic yards of ash. The original, Obama-era rule, adopted in 2015, came in response to a huge 2008 coal ash spill in Kingston, Tennessee. A containment dike burst at a Tennessee Valley Authority power plant and released 5.4m cubic yards of ash.
The accident dumped waste into two nearby rivers, destroyed homes and brought national attention to the issue.The accident dumped waste into two nearby rivers, destroyed homes and brought national attention to the issue.
Attorney Larissa Liebmann with the Waterkeeper Alliance said the costs saved by utilities won’t simply go away. Instead, she said, they’ll be borne by communities that are forced to deal with contaminated water. The attorney Larissa Liebmann, with the Waterkeeper Alliance, said the costs saved by utilities would not simply go away. Instead, she said, they would be borne by communities that are forced to deal with contaminated water.
“We think it’s fundamentally unfair,” Liebmann said. “The rules that were created in 2015 were already very much to the bare minimum.”“We think it’s fundamentally unfair,” Liebmann said. “The rules that were created in 2015 were already very much to the bare minimum.”
US Environmental Protection AgencyUS Environmental Protection Agency
CoalCoal
EnergyEnergy
Fossil fuelsFossil fuels
newsnews
Share on FacebookShare on Facebook
Share on TwitterShare on Twitter
Share via EmailShare via Email
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn
Share on PinterestShare on Pinterest
Share on Google+Share on Google+
Share on WhatsAppShare on WhatsApp
Share on MessengerShare on Messenger
Reuse this contentReuse this content