Colorado Coal Ash Disposal in Ponds and Landfills

Colorado generates over 1.7 million tons of coal ash annually from 14 coal-fired power plants. The state's regulatory framework is criticized for exempting on-site landfills and ponds from groundwater monitoring and not requiring composite liners or leachate collection systems. This lack of oversight, combined with the age of 40 existing ponds—31 of which are over 30 years old—increases the risk of groundwater contamination, particularly from arsenic, affecting residents relying on private wells. Additionally, the document notes that non-white individuals and people living below the poverty line are over-represented in zip codes hosting these plants.

• Colorado generates more than 1.7 million tons of coal ash per year, ranking 24th in the United States for coal ash generation, with 14 coal-fired power plants operating in the state.
• There are 40 coal ash ponds across 10 plants in Colorado; 31 of these are more than 30 years old, and 13 are over 40 years old, making the presence of liners and leachate collection systems unlikely.
• Colorado's regulations are deficient because they do not require composite liners or leachate collection systems for coal ash ponds and exempt on-site ponds and landfills from groundwater monitoring requirements.
• Groundwater contamination risks are high for users of private wells, with arsenic reported as a potential contaminant in two counties containing coal ash sites; the document notes that unlined ponds can pose a cancer risk 900 times above EPA acceptable levels.
• Coal-fired power plants in Colorado are disproportionately located in areas where people living below the poverty line are over-represented by 62 percent and non-white individuals are over-represented by 4 percent.

APA

Earthjustice (n.d.). Colorado Coal Ash Disposal in Ponds and Landfills. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/co-coal-ash-factsheet-1111.pdf

Chicago

Earthjustice. Colorado Coal Ash Disposal in Ponds and Landfills. n.d. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/co-coal-ash-factsheet-1111.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Earthjustice |title=Colorado Coal Ash Disposal in Ponds and Landfills |url=https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/co-coal-ash-factsheet-1111.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{earthjusticendcolorado, author = {{Earthjustice}}, title = {{Colorado Coal Ash Disposal in Ponds and Landfills}}, institution = {Earthjustice}, url = {https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/co-coal-ash-factsheet-1111.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }