{"id":115400,"date":"2022-04-21T19:54:09","date_gmt":"2022-04-21T23:54:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/?p=115400"},"modified":"2022-04-21T19:54:09","modified_gmt":"2022-04-21T23:54:09","slug":"epas-actions-on-coal-ash-ponds-could-shut-down-coal-power-plants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/savethewater.org\/epas-actions-on-coal-ash-ponds-could-shut-down-coal-power-plants\/","title":{"rendered":"EPA’s Actions on Coal Ash Ponds Could Shut Down Coal Power Plants"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Apurva Makashir, Publishing Project Leader at Save the Water\u2122 | April 21, 2022\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Did you know that<\/span> coal ash<\/span><\/a>, a harmful byproduct of coal power plants, has been a threat to our water supply for a long time?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The common man isn\u2019t aware of coal ash polluting our environment. Moreover, coal ash doesn\u2019t just harm our environment. It also harms the water supply systems that give us regular drinking water. For example, coal ash swept from Puerto Rico to Florida<\/a> back in 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

Regulations for Coal Ash Date Back to Years Ago<\/span><\/h2>\n

Coal ash is generally stored by power plants on site in piles or ponds. These unlined storage ponds contaminate the groundwater. <\/span><\/p>\n

In 2015, <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the Obama government had put rules<\/span><\/a> in place for coal power plants to limit the amount of coal ash leaking into the environment. However,<\/span> the Trump administration relaxed this rule<\/span><\/a> in 2020. This allowed coal power plants to use cheaper technology, which resulted in them taking longer to comply with the federal rules of environmental protection.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Enforcing Rules to Regulate Coal Ash<\/span><\/h2>\n

Recently, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)<\/a> has enforced the 2015 Clean Water Rule<\/a> to make water cleaner and reduce groundwater pollution. In doing so, they\u2019ve taken important steps to hold coal power plants accountable for groundwater pollution. <\/span><\/p>\n

These steps involve regulations for coal power plants to stop the dumping of coal ash into unobserved pits. The plants also need to reduce and clean up the pollution created by decades of coal ash disposal. As well, they include speeding up their plans to close coal ash storage ponds that are leaking or at risk of coal ash spilling.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Limiting the contact between coal ash and groundwater after the closure of coal ash ponds is important. This cuts down contaminants released into the environment. As a result, people will have access to safe drinking water. <\/span><\/p>\n

The EPA is enforcing this rule for the first time, enacted years ago in order to crack down on coal ash spills which could lead to the shutdown of such coal power plants around the country. This also shows the agency\u2019s commitment to minimizing groundwater pollution by putting several coal power plants on notice regarding their duty to comply with the regulations. <\/span><\/p>\n

Addressing Extension Requests on Coal Ash Ponds<\/span><\/h2>\n

Due to the EPA taking these recent steps, some of the coal ash disposal sites of coal power plants in the U.S. need to be shut down much earlier than expected. This is because of negligence in groundwater monitoring, cleanup, and related problems. As per the EPA, the plants had previously mentioned that they might have to close if extensions weren\u2019t granted.<\/span><\/p>\n

The federal rules for coal power plants required most of the approximately 500 unlined coal ash ponds nationwide to stop receiving coal ash waste and begin closure by April 2021.\u00a0 These regulations have outlined a process for coal power plants to apply for two types of extensions to the closure deadline. The EPA has said they\u2019ve received a total of 57 such applications. They\u2019ll continue to review more to monitor facilities for coal ash ponds.<\/span><\/p>\n

The agency has denied extension permit requests by three coal power plants:<\/span><\/p>\n