Opposition to “H.R. 1734, Improving Coal Combustion Residuals Regulation Act of 2015”

A coalition of 290 organizations and individuals opposes H.R. 1734, asserting that the bill would weaken the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) 2014 coal ash rule. The signatories argue the legislation would delay health protections, eliminate public access to information, and remove national standards for drinking water protection, thereby increasing risks to vulnerable communities and the environment.

• H.R. 1734 is argued to significantly weaken the EPA's December 19, 2014 coal ash rule by delaying health and safety protections for potentially over 10 years and extending the deadline for closing inactive contaminated and abandoned ponds by at least 6 years.
• The proposed legislation would remove critical national standards and oversight, specifically eliminating the ban on storing and dumping coal ash in drinking water and prohibiting EPA enforcement of state program requirements unless the state invites such action.
• The opposition emphasizes that coal ash ponds are disproportionately located in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color, making these populations particularly vulnerable to the risks posed by the bill.
• The document cites severe environmental and safety risks associated with 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.

APA

Earthjustice (2015). Opposition to “H.R. 1734, Improving Coal Combustion Residuals Regulation Act of 2015”. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/oppose-hr1734_ccr-regulation-act-of-2015.pdf

Chicago

Earthjustice. Opposition to “H.R. 1734, Improving Coal Combustion Residuals Regulation Act of 2015”. 2015. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/oppose-hr1734_ccr-regulation-act-of-2015.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Earthjustice |title=Opposition to “H.R. 1734, Improving Coal Combustion Residuals Regulation Act of 2015” |date=14 April 2015 |url=https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/oppose-hr1734_ccr-regulation-act-of-2015.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{earthjustice2015opposition, author = {{Earthjustice}}, title = {{Opposition to “H.R. 1734, Improving Coal Combustion Residuals Regulation Act of 2015”}}, publisher = {Earthjustice}, year = {2015}, month = apr, url = {https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/oppose-hr1734_ccr-regulation-act-of-2015.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }