TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WAGES MULTIFRONT ASSAULT ON COAL ASH PROTECTIONS

The document details a 'multifront assault' by the Trump administration to roll back the 2015 EPA regulations on coal ash, a toxic byproduct of coal-fired electricity generation. It describes how six specific proposals aim to delay the closure of leaking pits, weaken wastewater standards, and eliminate financial requirements for cleanups. The briefing highlights the dangers of coal ash—including carcinogens like arsenic and hexavalent chromium—and cites historical disasters and contamination sites to illustrate the necessity of the safeguards being targeted.

• Coal ash is a toxic waste stream containing carcinogens and neurotoxins, including arsenic, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, lead, and lithium, which contaminates air, soil, and groundwater.
• The 2015 EPA regulations established the first federal safeguards for coal ash, including design standards for dumps and deadlines for closing unstable or leaking pits, but the Trump administration has proposed six rollbacks to weaken these protections.
• A proposal titled 'A Holistic Approach to Closure Part B' would allow operators to continue dumping waste into unlined, leaking pits for up to 15 years during the closure process and permit the use of toxic ash instead of soil for capping.
• The administration proposed a federal permitting program for coal ash ponds and landfills that would allow for 'never-expiring' permits with minimal public input and potential disregard for community safeguards.
• Proposed rollbacks include lifting health protections on coal ash waste piles and increasing the amount of ash used as construction fill, which the document links to previous Superfund designations like the Town of Pines, Indiana.
• The EPA proposed weakening the 2015 Effluent Limitations Guidelines under the Clean Water Act, which would create loopholes and delays for power plants in reducing toxic pollutants like mercury and selenium in waterways.
• The Trump administration moved to withdraw the intention to establish financial assurance requirements under CERCLA, potentially leaving coal plants without the necessary funds to clean up future catastrophic spills.
• While federal protections are being eroded, states such as North Carolina, Virginia, Illinois, and Michigan have implemented their own stringent guidelines or cleanup orders for coal ash.

APA

Earthjustice (n.d.). TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WAGES MULTIFRONT ASSAULT ON COAL ASH PROTECTIONS. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/coalashbackgrounder_2020_final_4-10.pdf

Chicago

Earthjustice. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WAGES MULTIFRONT ASSAULT ON COAL ASH PROTECTIONS. n.d. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/coalashbackgrounder_2020_final_4-10.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Earthjustice |title=TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WAGES MULTIFRONT ASSAULT ON COAL ASH PROTECTIONS |url=https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/coalashbackgrounder_2020_final_4-10.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{earthjusticendtrump, author = {{Earthjustice}}, title = {{TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WAGES MULTIFRONT ASSAULT ON COAL ASH PROTECTIONS}}, institution = {Earthjustice}, url = {https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/coalashbackgrounder_2020_final_4-10.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }