EPA, Clean Up All Toxic Coal Ash Nationwide!
Michael Regan, US Administrator, The U.S Environmental Protection Agency
We have a historic opportunity to confront our nation’s quiet catastrophe: an estimated one-half of toxic coal ash waste in communities nationwide is currently not subject to ANY regulation by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These sites are located in disproportionately low-income communities and communities of color, leaching into and contaminating groundwater and drinking water supplies and endangering public health.
On May 17, in a historic move, the EPA published a new proposed Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) Rule to begin addressing this dangerous loophole as part of a settlement between the EPA and public interest groups, including Just Transition Northwest Indiana, represented by Earthjustice.
For the first time in history, while the revised rule does not cover all sites, it extends federal monitoring, closure, and cleanup protections to hundreds of older landfills, legacy ponds, and fill sites previously excluded under the original rule. This is a big leap forward, but the EPA needs to complete the job to include all toxic coal ash sites and commit to enforcement regardless of where or when they were created!
We cannot wait on another administration while the utility companies responsible for this pollution continue to profit from inaction. Join us in demanding a strong federal rule by making your voice heard during the 60-day public comment period. It’s time to let the EPA know that we need environmental justice for ALL communities impacted by coal ash, and we need it NOW!
Take action by signing our petition today and visiting our webpage to learn more!
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To:
Michael Regan, US Administrator, The U.S Environmental Protection Agency
From:
[Your Name]
Dear U.S. EPA Administrator Michael Regan and the EPA,
I urge the EPA to issue a strong Coal Combustion Residuals Rule that mandates safe closure and clean up of coal ash nationwide.
We applaud the EPA for addressing this critical issue in the new draft rule and ask that the agency commits to closing the loophole for all legacy coal ash sites. We also ask for the inclusion of sites not present in this draft rule. These include, but are not limited to, the following:
- All coal ash ponds and landfills located in floodplains;
- All coal ash ponds and landfills located on unstable ground and wetlands;
- Coal ash ponds that did not have water in them as of the original rule’s effective date (October 2015) or after;
- All inactive landfills at former coal plant sites;
- Coal ash used as construction fill at playgrounds, schools, and throughout neighborhoods
Of the estimated 566 landfills and ponds at 242 coal plants in 40 states that were excluded from the original rule, we know the vast majority are contaminating our drinking water, rivers, streams, and Great Lakes and harming the health and well-being of our residents, environment, and economy nationwide.
We urge the EPA to act swiftly so that all toxic coal ash sites be afforded the same regulations under federal rule. Please do your due diligence and clean up our nation’s coal ash crisis for good and ensure no communities are left behind or left without protections under this new rule.