A proposal from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency would significantly weaken regulations governing how coal ash is handled in Alabama and other states.

The substance is a toxic byproduct of coal-fired power plants. After coal is burned, about 15% to 20% remains as coal ash, which can pollute groundwater. Experts said it contains heavy metals, including arsenic, lead, mercury and radium, toxins known to be harmful.

Gavin Kearney, clean energy program deputy managing attorney for Earthjustice, said Alabama has about a dozen toxic sites.

"Of the dumps that are currently being regulated, there are 13 ponds, and we know that 11 of those have no liner. And an additional three landfills for a total of 118 million cubic yards," Kearney reported.

Power companies and the coal industry argued compliance with coal ash protections costs too much and is technically infeasible. They also believe it would disrupt the beneficial re-use of its byproducts, which are helpful for concrete production, road construction, and wallboard manufacturing.

Coal ash can be stored in wet or dry areas but Kearney pointed out many wet dump sites lack liners. Wet surface impoundments, or ponds, are at heightened leakage risk compared to dry landfills. He stressed effective protection requires fully contained disposal sites to prevent water from getting in or out.

"They're asking for EPA to determine that coal ash that's sitting in groundwater isn't harmful necessarily, even though there's ample evidence that it is," Kearney explained. "We have several examples of catastrophic failures of coal ash impoundments, but we also have rampant groundwater contamination."

Kearney argued the EPA is essentially being told to relinquish its ability to regulate coal ash and turn its authority over to the coal industry.

Source: Public News Service