Trump Administration Wages Multifront Assault on Coal Ash Protections

The document outlines a series of EPA actions between 2018 and 2020 that reduce oversight of coal ash disposal, including the removal of cleanup obligations, the broadening of 'beneficial use' exemptions, and the establishment of a federal permitting program with minimal oversight.

• The Coal Ash Phase One Rollback proposed extensive reductions in protections, including the use of risk-based corrective action and the removal of location restrictions, while exempting utilities from cleanup and source control obligations.
• The EPA implemented several rules that weaken the management of coal ash ponds: the Part A Rule created loopholes for utilities to avoid retrofit-or-close deadlines, and the Part B Rule allows some unlined ponds to operate indefinitely and permits the disposal of large quantities of ash in deficient ponds during the closure process.
• The administration reduced financial and operational oversight through the Coal Ash Financial Assurance Rule, which withdrew the intent to set financial assurance requirements for coal ash spills and plants, and the Coal Ash Federal Permitting Program, which introduced 'permits-for-life' and limited public participation.
• Other rollbacks include the Phase II Rollback, which expanded 'beneficial use' exemptions and removed landfill requirements for waste piles, and the Steam Electric Power Generating Effluent Limitation Guidelines Rollback, which allows up to 10% of bottom ash wastewater to be discharged into waterways instead of being recycled.

APA

Earthjustice (2020). Trump Administration Wages Multifront Assault on Coal Ash Protections. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/rulemaking_index_multifront_assault_on_coal_ash_protections_12-07-2020_0.pdf

Chicago

Earthjustice. Trump Administration Wages Multifront Assault on Coal Ash Protections. 2020. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/rulemaking_index_multifront_assault_on_coal_ash_protections_12-07-2020_0.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Earthjustice |title=Trump Administration Wages Multifront Assault on Coal Ash Protections |date=7 December 2020 |url=https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/rulemaking_index_multifront_assault_on_coal_ash_protections_12-07-2020_0.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{earthjustice2020trump, author = {{Earthjustice}}, title = {{Trump Administration Wages Multifront Assault on Coal Ash Protections}}, institution = {Earthjustice}, year = {2020}, month = dec, url = {https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/rulemaking_index_multifront_assault_on_coal_ash_protections_12-07-2020_0.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }