EPA’S COAL PLANT WASTEWATER ROLLBACK REMOVES HEALTH PROTECTIONS FOR RIVERS, LAKES, AND STREAMS

The document criticizes the EPA's August 31, 2020, final rule that weakened the 2015 effluent limitation guidelines (ELGs) for coal-fired power plants. It asserts that the rollback allows utilities to avoid investing in modern wastewater treatment technologies, thereby increasing the volume of toxic pollutants entering U.S. waters. The text highlights specific loopholes for plants planning retirement by 2028 and those with limited operating hours, and notes that the 2015 rule was originally intended to prevent 1.4 billion pounds of pollutants annually.

• The 2020 final rule weakens the 2015 wastewater treatment standards for coal-fired power plants, which were originally designed to prevent 1.4 billion pounds of pollutants from entering U.S. waters annually and provide between $451 million and $566 million in yearly public health and environmental benefits.
• The rollback introduces loopholes that allow many plants to avoid investing in new wastewater treatment, specifically those whose owners claim they will retire the plants by 2028.
• The new rule modifies requirements for bottom ash and scrubber sludge; for bottom ash, it now allows up to 10 percent of the water used to flush combustion chambers to be purged regularly, whereas the 2015 rule required a closed-loop system.
• The document states that coal plants are the primary source of toxic water pollution in the U.S., discharging pollutants such as arsenic, boron, cadmium, lead, mercury, and selenium into water bodies that supply drinking water to millions.

APA

Earthjustice (2020). EPA’S COAL PLANT WASTEWATER ROLLBACK REMOVES HEALTH PROTECTIONS FOR RIVERS, LAKES, AND STREAMS. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/elg_rule_fact_sheet_approved_on_final_rollback_august_31_2020_.pdf

Chicago

Earthjustice. EPA’S COAL PLANT WASTEWATER ROLLBACK REMOVES HEALTH PROTECTIONS FOR RIVERS, LAKES, AND STREAMS. 2020. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/elg_rule_fact_sheet_approved_on_final_rollback_august_31_2020_.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Earthjustice |title=EPA’S COAL PLANT WASTEWATER ROLLBACK REMOVES HEALTH PROTECTIONS FOR RIVERS, LAKES, AND STREAMS |date=2020 |url=https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/elg_rule_fact_sheet_approved_on_final_rollback_august_31_2020_.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{earthjustice2020epas, author = {{Earthjustice}}, title = {{EPA’S COAL PLANT WASTEWATER ROLLBACK REMOVES HEALTH PROTECTIONS FOR RIVERS, LAKES, AND STREAMS}}, institution = {Earthjustice}, year = {2020}, url = {https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/elg_rule_fact_sheet_approved_on_final_rollback_august_31_2020_.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }