EPA GUTTED COAL ASH RULE BY DELAYING CLOSURE OF LEAKING TOXIC PONDS

The document criticizes a July 2020 EPA rule that postpones the closure of coal ash ponds, allowing utilities to continue dumping toxic waste into leaking basins until as late as 2038. It asserts that this rollback ignores the risks of groundwater contamination, catastrophic dam failures, and the increased threat of storm-driven flooding due to climate change, disproportionately impacting low-income communities and communities of color.

• A July 2020 EPA rule rollback allows utilities to delay the closure of coal ash ponds until 2038, extending the period for dumping toxic waste by at least 4.5 years for most plants and up to 9.5 years for some compared to the 2015 rule.
• Coal ash is the second largest industrial waste stream in the U.S., exceeding 100 million tons annually, and contains hazardous substances including arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, and lithium.
• The 2015 EPA rule established disposal standards for over 700 coal ash dumps across all 50 states and Puerto Rico, following a major spill at a TVA plant in Kingston, TN, which released one billion gallons of sludge.
• There are over 50 coal ash ponds classified as high hazard dams where failure would cause loss of life, and more than 175 significant hazard dams where failure would cause significant economic or environmental damage.
• Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of storms, which creates new hazards for coal ash ponds typically located near lakes, streams, or in flood plains.

APA

Earthjustice (n.d.). EPA GUTTED COAL ASH RULE BY DELAYING CLOSURE OF LEAKING TOXIC PONDS. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/ccr-part-a-rule_oct1320.pdf

Chicago

Earthjustice. EPA GUTTED COAL ASH RULE BY DELAYING CLOSURE OF LEAKING TOXIC PONDS. n.d. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/ccr-part-a-rule_oct1320.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Earthjustice |title=EPA GUTTED COAL ASH RULE BY DELAYING CLOSURE OF LEAKING TOXIC PONDS |url=https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/ccr-part-a-rule_oct1320.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{earthjusticendepa, author = {{Earthjustice}}, title = {{EPA GUTTED COAL ASH RULE BY DELAYING CLOSURE OF LEAKING TOXIC PONDS}}, institution = {Earthjustice}, url = {https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/ccr-part-a-rule_oct1320.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }