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The document details a 'multifront assault' by the Trump administration to roll back the 2015 EPA regulations on coal ash, a toxic byproduct of coal-fired electricity generation. It describes how six specific proposals aim to delay the closure of leaking pits, weaken wastewater standards, and eliminate financial requirements for cleanups. The briefing highlights the dangers of coal ash—including carcinogens like arsenic and hexavalent chromium—and cites historical disasters and contamination sites to illustrate the necessity of the safeguards being targeted.

The report examines the environmental and health risks associated with dumping coal combustion waste (CCW), or coal ash, into active and abandoned coal mines across the United States. It argues that this practice, often labeled as 'beneficial use' or 'recycling' to bypass regulations, allows toxic metals to leach into groundwater and surface water. The document highlights the failure of the U.S. EPA and the Office of Surface Mining to implement necessary safeguards, noting that minefilling is driven by economic incentives, reducing disposal costs by 89 to 95 percent compared to engineered landfills. It specifically identifies the increased risks from Fluidized Bed Combustion (FBC) plants and provides case studies of contamination in Pennsylvania and New Mexico. The report concludes by urging the EPA to adopt the National Academies of Sciences' recommendations for mandatory testing, site characterization, and long-term monitoring.

The document argues that coal ash poses severe health and environmental risks, including cancer and water contamination, and asserts that only federally enforceable safeguards under RCRA Subtitle C can provide adequate protection. It highlights the failure of the Subtitle D approach and cites a 2008 disaster in Tennessee as evidence of the need for stricter regulations.

North Carolina ranks 9th in the U.S. for coal ash generation, producing over 5.5 million tons annually. The state's infrastructure is characterized by 37 ponds, 29 of which are rated "high hazard," meaning failure would likely cause human life loss and significant economic and environmental damage. Most ponds lack liners and leachate collection systems, with 27 ponds being over 30 years old. Documented failures include breaches at the W.H. Weatherspoon, Cliffside, and Roxboro stations, as well as a 2010 failure at the Sutton plant. Water contamination is widespread, with 13 documented cases involving high levels of selenium, arsenic, and other heavy metals in groundwater and surface water. Regulatory gaps persist, as ponds built before 1994 are not required to have liners or conduct groundwater monitoring, and landfill monitoring remains discretionary.

The document details the presence of 18 coal ash ponds across 8 plants in Tennessee, noting that 14 are rated as either 'high' or 'significant' hazards. It highlights widespread groundwater and surface water contamination linked to Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) sites and the 2008 Kingston Coal Ash Spill, arguing that Tennessee's dam safety laws specifically exempt coal-ash dams, leading to inadequate oversight.

The report details how coal ash, particularly fly ash, contains toxic metals and radioactive materials that pose severe health risks when inhaled as fugitive dust. It highlights the lack of federal regulations for dust control at landfills and ponds, noting that state-level requirements are often inadequate. The document provides case studies of impacted communities, including the Moapa River Indian Reservation and Uniontown, Alabama, and calls for a transition to renewable energy and the establishment of enforceable federal standards to mitigate these hazards.

The document describes coal ash as a toxic industrial waste stream containing carcinogens and neurotoxins that contaminate air, soil, and water when improperly managed. It evaluates various disposal methods, identifying unlined surface impoundments as the most hazardous and encapsulated reuse in concrete or gypsum as the safest. The guide outlines specific technical standards for landfills and ponds—including impermeable liners, groundwater monitoring, and siting prohibitions—and argues for enforceable, site-specific permits and financial assurance to ensure long-term remediation.

The report details how coal ash, the second-largest industrial waste stream in the U.S., contains toxic heavy metals that leach into groundwater and surface water or become airborne as fugitive dust. It highlights the inadequacy of current state-level regulations and the failure of unlined disposal ponds, citing numerous 'damage cases' where communities have suffered from contaminated drinking water and ecological collapse. The authors advocate for a transition away from wet storage and unencapsulated reuse, calling for federal standards to protect susceptible populations, particularly children and low-income communities.

The document examines the transition from diesel-powered transit buses to hybrid-electric alternatives, highlighting significant reductions in emissions and fuel consumption. It details the technical differences between series and parallel hybrid configurations and analyzes the financial barriers to adoption, noting that while hybrid buses have a higher purchase price, federal grants and lower operational costs mitigate these expenses. By 2006, over 900 hybrid buses were in service across more than 40 North American transit agencies.

The document outlines the economic and environmental benefits of energy efficiency in Tennessee, asserting that specific policies can help the state meet carbon pollution goals and save residents money.

The document consists of a collection of 45 figures mapping the FSEIS routes for nuclear waste transport through nearly every U.S. state and the District of Columbia.

The document addresses the recent surge in U.S. electricity demand driven by data centers, manufacturing, and electric vehicles. It warns that utilities are defaulting to new gas plants, which risks creating stranded assets and conflicting with climate goals. The authors propose a portfolio of alternatives, including aggressive energy efficiency, the reuse of fossil fuel interconnection sites for renewables, demand response with large customers, and grid-enhancing technologies to improve existing transmission infrastructure.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), the Alliance for Just Deliberation on Solar Geoengineering (DSG), and the Degrees Initiative are organizing a three-part workshop series for policymakers in the Americas. The program focuses on solar radiation modification (SRM), specifically stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) and marine cloud brightening (MCB), to address the knowledge gap between the Global North and South. The series includes two virtual workshops and one in-person simulation to help participants develop national and regional positions for international forums like UNEA and the UNFCCC.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), in partnership with The Alliance for Just Deliberation on Solar Geoengineering (DSG) and The Degrees Initiative, is launching a workshop series for policymakers in the Americas. The program focuses on solar radiation modification (SRM), specifically stratospheric aerosol injection and marine cloud brightening, to address the knowledge gap between the Global North and South. The workshops aim to equip regional actors with the tools to develop national positions and engage in international forums like the UNEA and UNFCCC CoP, emphasizing climate justice, ethical governance, and the potential regional impacts of climate interventions.

The Union of Concerned Scientists identifies a range of 153 to 353 coal-fired generating units in the U.S. that are economically uncompetitive and should be retired. These units, totaling up to 59 GW of capacity, are typically older, underutilized, and lack modern pollution controls. The report argues that retiring these units, alongside 288 already scheduled for closure, would not jeopardize grid reliability and could reduce annual CO2 emissions by 245 to 410 million tons if replaced by natural gas, renewables, or energy efficiency.

The report provides a state-by-state breakdown of progress toward 2020 Clean Power Plan benchmarks, noting that some states have exceeded 500% of their goals while others show 0% progress. It highlights the role of energy efficiency, renewable energy standards, and regional initiatives in achieving these targets.

WRI analysis indicates that Tennessee can reduce its CO2 emissions by 41 percent below 2011 levels by 2020 through a combination of infrastructure optimization and clean energy adoption. Key opportunities include increasing the utilization of combined cycle natural gas plants to reduce emissions by 11 percent and achieving 1 percent annual energy savings to reduce emissions by 10 percent. Other measures include expanding combined heat and power (CHP) systems, improving coal plant efficiency, and continuing the growth of renewable energy generation.