Opposition to S. 2446, the “Improving Coal Combustion Residuals Regulation Act of 2016”

The document is a formal letter of opposition to S. 2446, asserting that the bill would dismantle critical public health and environmental safeguards established by the EPA's 2014 coal ash rule. The signatories argue that the legislation would eliminate requirements for cleaning up toxic releases, remove national drinking water protection standards, and delay the closure of unstable coal ash impoundments, thereby increasing risks for vulnerable communities and the environment.

• S. 2446 is argued to eliminate several key EPA protections, including the requirement to immediately clean up toxic releases and notify the public, national standards for drinking water protection, and the prohibition against siting coal ash dumps in floodplains.
• The bill would significantly delay critical safety and compliance measures, including a potential six-year delay for closing leaking and structurally unsound impoundments, as well as delays in groundwater monitoring and public access to water contamination information.
• The legislation is claimed to restrict federal oversight by prohibiting EPA enforcement of state program requirements unless invited by the state and removing the EPA's ability to require financial assurance for the cleanup of spills and contaminated drinking water.
• The opposition highlights the existing risks of coal ash, noting that more than 200 sites have contaminated water across 37 states and that U.S. utilities operate over 300 high and significant-hazard earthen coal ash dams.
• The document asserts that S. 2446 would disproportionately impact vulnerable populations, as coal ash lagoons are frequently located in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color.

APA

Earthjustice (2016). Opposition to S. 2446, the “Improving Coal Combustion Residuals Regulation Act of 2016”. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/feb25_opposition-letter-s2446_coalashbill.pdf

Chicago

Earthjustice. Opposition to S. 2446, the “Improving Coal Combustion Residuals Regulation Act of 2016”. 2016. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/feb25_opposition-letter-s2446_coalashbill.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Earthjustice |title=Opposition to S. 2446, the “Improving Coal Combustion Residuals Regulation Act of 2016” |date=25 February 2016 |url=https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/feb25_opposition-letter-s2446_coalashbill.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{earthjustice2016opposition, author = {{Earthjustice}}, title = {{Opposition to S. 2446, the “Improving Coal Combustion Residuals Regulation Act of 2016”}}, publisher = {Earthjustice}, year = {2016}, month = feb, url = {https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/feb25_opposition-letter-s2446_coalashbill.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }