TOXIC COAL ASH NEAR THE GREAT LAKES

The document details the presence of 88 coal ash dumpsites within two miles of the Great Lakes, consisting of 34 federally regulated and at least 54 unregulated legacy ponds and landfills. It highlights widespread groundwater contamination at these sites, noting that 91% of coal plants nationwide pollute groundwater above federal health standards. The report calls for the EPA to strengthen the 2015 Coal Ash Rule to eliminate exemptions for legacy sites and prohibit the use of coal ash as fill.

• There are 88 coal ash dumpsites located within two miles of the Great Lakes. These include 34 federally regulated ponds and landfills containing over 57 million cubic yards of toxic waste, and at least 54 unregulated inactive landfills and legacy ponds.
• Groundwater contamination is widespread; industry data indicates that 91% of coal plants across the United States are currently polluting groundwater above federal health standards. At nearly all regulated coal plants within two miles of the Great Lakes, monitoring data shows significant groundwater contamination.
• Coal ash contains hazardous pollutants—including arsenic, lead, mercury, and other heavy metals—linked to severe health issues such as cancer, neurological harm, and reproductive failure. U.S. coal plants produce approximately 70 million tons of this waste annually.
• Many coal ash dumps remain unregulated due to exemptions for legacy ponds and inactive landfills in the 2015 Coal Ash Rule, with these exempted sites disproportionately located in communities of color and low-income communities.

APA

Earthjustice (2023). TOXIC COAL ASH NEAR THE GREAT LAKES. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/great-lakes_coal-ash_state-fact-sheet_2024-08.pdf

Chicago

Earthjustice. TOXIC COAL ASH NEAR THE GREAT LAKES. 2023. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/great-lakes_coal-ash_state-fact-sheet_2024-08.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Earthjustice |title=TOXIC COAL ASH NEAR THE GREAT LAKES |date=April 2023 |url=https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/great-lakes_coal-ash_state-fact-sheet_2024-08.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{earthjustice2023toxic, author = {{Earthjustice}}, title = {{TOXIC COAL ASH NEAR THE GREAT LAKES}}, institution = {Earthjustice}, year = {2023}, month = apr, url = {https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/great-lakes_coal-ash_state-fact-sheet_2024-08.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }