Illinois Coal Ash Victory Models the Protections We Need Nationwide

The policy brief highlights a legal victory in Illinois where a court ordered the removal of 3 million cubic yards of coal ash near the Vermilion River. It argues that this case demonstrates the need for the EPA to close loopholes in its 2015 coal ash regulations, which excluded numerous sites often located in low-income communities and communities of color. While a May 2023 draft rule extends regulations to some previously excluded sites, the document asserts that all toxic coal ash dumps must be regulated to prevent groundwater contamination and health risks.

• Coal-fired power plants in the United States generate over 70 million tons of coal ash annually, with industry data showing that 91% of coal plants contaminate groundwater beyond federal safe drinking water standards.
• The EPA's 2015 coal ash safeguards contained loopholes that excluded sites that stopped receiving waste before the rule's effect, dump sites at defunct power plants, and coal ash used as fill in residential areas or playgrounds, disproportionately affecting low-income communities and communities of color.
• In June 2023, an Illinois state court ordered the removal of approximately 3 million cubic yards of coal ash from a site near the Middle Fork of the Vermilion River to a safer onsite location, requiring the owners to restore river ecology and limit demolition dust.
• A proposed EPA rule published in May 2023 seeks to extend federal regulations to many sites excluded by the 2015 rule, though the document claims some dangerous dump sites remain exempt.

APA

Earthjustice (2023). Illinois Coal Ash Victory Models the Protections We Need Nationwide. https://earthjustice.org/brief/2023/illinois-coal-ash-victory-models-the-protections-we-need-nationwide

Chicago

Earthjustice. Illinois Coal Ash Victory Models the Protections We Need Nationwide. 2023. https://earthjustice.org/brief/2023/illinois-coal-ash-victory-models-the-protections-we-need-nationwide.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Earthjustice |title=Illinois Coal Ash Victory Models the Protections We Need Nationwide |date=16 June 2023 |url=https://earthjustice.org/brief/2023/illinois-coal-ash-victory-models-the-protections-we-need-nationwide |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{earthjustice2023illinois, author = {{Earthjustice}}, title = {{Illinois Coal Ash Victory Models the Protections We Need Nationwide}}, institution = {Earthjustice}, year = {2023}, month = jun, url = {https://earthjustice.org/brief/2023/illinois-coal-ash-victory-models-the-protections-we-need-nationwide}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }