Refrain from Signing the Coal Ash Dear Colleague Letter from Senators Conrad and Enzi

A coalition of environmental and health organizations is urging U.S. Senators to reject a proposal by Senators Conrad and Enzi to weaken coal ash regulations. The coalition argues that coal ash contains toxic chemicals like arsenic and mercury, posing severe risks to public health and the environment, as evidenced by a 2008 spill in Tennessee. They advocate for the EPA to regulate coal ash as a "special waste" under subtitle C of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) to phase out wet disposal and establish enforceable national standards, rather than adopting voluntary guidelines under subtitle D.

• Coal ash is characterized as a dangerous waste containing toxic chemicals such as arsenic, hexavalent chromium, lead, mercury, and selenium, with evidence showing it can exceed hazardous waste toxicity thresholds in over 135 damage cases across 34 states.
• Improper storage of coal ash in unlined ponds, landfills, and mines leads to contamination of drinking water and airborne dust, contributing to health issues including cancer, neurological damage, and birth defects; a 2008 spill in Harriman, Tennessee, resulted in a $1 billion clean-up.
• The coalition supports the EPA's proposed 'special waste' regulation under subtitle C of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), which would phase out wet disposal in ponds, create enforceable national standards, and incentivize the beneficial reuse of coal ash.
• The coalition opposes regulation as a non-hazardous waste under subtitle D of the RCRA, arguing it would only create voluntary guidelines and allow the continued use of dangerous wet ponds.

APA

Earthjustice (2011). Refrain from Signing the Coal Ash Dear Colleague Letter from Senators Conrad and Enzi. https://earthjustice.org/sites/default/files/CoalAshletter.pdf

Chicago

Earthjustice. Refrain from Signing the Coal Ash Dear Colleague Letter from Senators Conrad and Enzi. 2011. https://earthjustice.org/sites/default/files/CoalAshletter.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Earthjustice |title=Refrain from Signing the Coal Ash Dear Colleague Letter from Senators Conrad and Enzi |date=17 May 2011 |url=https://earthjustice.org/sites/default/files/CoalAshletter.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{earthjustice2011refrain, author = {{Earthjustice}}, title = {{Refrain from Signing the Coal Ash Dear Colleague Letter from Senators Conrad and Enzi}}, publisher = {Earthjustice}, year = {2011}, month = may, url = {https://earthjustice.org/sites/default/files/CoalAshletter.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }