Comments on Hazardous and Solid Waste Management System: Disposal of Coal Combustion Residuals from Electric Utilities; Legacy/CCRMU Amendments, 91 Federal Register 18968, Docket ID No. EPA–HQ– OLEM–2020–0107

The document is a formal comment letter opposing the EPA's proposed Legacy/CCRMU Amendments Rule. The signatories argue that the proposal would exempt hundreds of coal ash dumpsites from oversight, weaken monitoring and cleanup requirements, and allow toxic chemicals to exceed federal safe standards, thereby endangering public health and water resources across the United States.

• The Proposed Rule would significantly reduce federal oversight of coal ash waste by exempting more than 700 newly regulated coal ash dumpsites, known as CCR Management Units, from the rule entirely.
• The proposal would weaken environmental protections by allowing state and federal permit writers to permit the closure of units where coal ash is actively contaminating groundwater and by granting broad discretion to reduce monitoring and cleanup requirements upon utility requests.
• The Proposed Rule would allow for the increase of permitted levels of lead, molybdenum, lithium, and cobalt in contaminated water beyond federal safe standards.
• The proposal removes safety standards for coal ash 'piles' regardless of size or location and eliminates safeguards for using coal ash as a soil substitute in residential areas, parks, and playgrounds.
• The signatories argue the rule violates the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) by failing to ensure there is no reasonable probability of adverse impacts on human health and the environment.

APA

Earthjustice (2026). Comments on Hazardous and Solid Waste Management System: Disposal of Coal Combustion Residuals from Electric Utilities; Legacy/CCRMU Amendments, 91 Federal Register 18968, Docket ID No. EPA–HQ– OLEM–2020–0107. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/community-group-letter-to-epa-coal-ash-rule-rollback_6.29.26.pdf

Chicago

Earthjustice. Comments on Hazardous and Solid Waste Management System: Disposal of Coal Combustion Residuals from Electric Utilities; Legacy/CCRMU Amendments, 91 Federal Register 18968, Docket ID No. EPA–HQ– OLEM–2020–0107. 2026. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/community-group-letter-to-epa-coal-ash-rule-rollback_6.29.26.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Earthjustice |title=Comments on Hazardous and Solid Waste Management System: Disposal of Coal Combustion Residuals from Electric Utilities; Legacy/CCRMU Amendments, 91 Federal Register 18968, Docket ID No. EPA–HQ– OLEM–2020–0107 |date=29 June 2026 |url=https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/community-group-letter-to-epa-coal-ash-rule-rollback_6.29.26.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{earthjustice2026comments, author = {{Earthjustice}}, title = {{Comments on Hazardous and Solid Waste Management System: Disposal of Coal Combustion Residuals from Electric Utilities; Legacy/CCRMU Amendments, 91 Federal Register 18968, Docket ID No. EPA–HQ– OLEM–2020–0107}}, publisher = {Earthjustice}, year = {2026}, month = jun, url = {https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/community-group-letter-to-epa-coal-ash-rule-rollback_6.29.26.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }