EPA Announces Enforcement of Coal Ash Pond Clean-up
Contact: Bridget Lee, bridget.lee@sierraclub.org, 845-323-5493
Coal ash clean-up rules have been in place, but have not been enforced -- until now.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Yesterday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it will require utilities in several Midwestern states to clean up their coal ash waste. Coal ash is toxic waste produced by coal-burning power plants. For decades, coal ash has been dumped into giant pits or ponds, where toxic chemicals have leaked into the water, contaminated soil, and poisoned air. Coal ash continues to be a serious health and safety hazard even after a coal plant is decommissioned unless the waste left behind is removed and safely disposed of.
Safeguards were put in place by the Obama administration–including a requirement that ash ponds stop receiving waste and be closed–but went ignored by the Trump administration, while the harmful effects of coal-ash waste leakages continued to harm communities across the country. A number of utilities asked the Trump administration to allow them to continue sending toxic waste to their ash ponds for years to come, but the Biden EPA has said “no.”
Coal ash waste is filled with some of the deadliest known toxic chemicals, including heavy metals like arsenic, lead, mercury, and chromium. These toxics raise the risk for cancer, heart disease, and stroke. Children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable to coal ash exposure and exposure can inflict permanent brain damage on children. More than 1.5 million children live near coal ash storage sites.
Furthermore, 70 percent of all coal ash impoundments disproportionately impact low-income communities. Over 1,400 coal ash waste dumps are spread across the country, and in at least 200 cases, the toxic waste is known to have contaminated water sources.
In response, Jonathan Levenshus, Director of Federal Campaigns for Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign, released the following statement:
“President Biden’s EPA is demonstrating a recommitment to doing what it was established to do: protect our communities from toxic pollution, especially the ones most impacted by dirty coal plant waste. For years utilities neglected basic safeguards endangering families and communities across the country. From Puerto Rico to Tennessee, North Carolina to Illinois and beyond, grassroots advocates have been pushing the EPA, states and utilities to clean up coal ash dump sites. Today’s announcement requiring some utilities to follow the law and stop dumping toxic waste into our communities, once and for all, is a strong step in the right direction to protect our health and safety.”
Laurie Williams, senior attorney for Sierra Club, said, "For too long, MidAmerican has been allowing toxic coal waste to leak into Iowa's waters. Ottumwa is a dirty, uneconomic coal plant that is costing Iowans too much to operate -- and, as EPA has now confirmed, it's at the expense of people’s health. Iowans deserve better. MidAmerican needs to clean up its act and retire this polluting plant, and all of its Iowa coal plants, now."
Katie Rock, campaign representative Iowa Beyond Coal, “From the details EPA provided on this denial and the economic reality of what it takes to run the plant, the case is clear for an Ottumwa early retirement. The Ottumwa plant pollutes our air, hastens climate change, and is spreading a plume of toxic pollution into our groundwater. MidAm needs to act now to protect public health and customer pocketbooks by retiring Ottumwa and cleaning up its coal ash mess, and making a plan to retire the rest of its coal fleet.”
Synapse analysis TP:
Analysis filed in December with the Iowa Utilities Board shows that MidAmerican Energy could save Iowans nearly $1.2 billion by retiring all of its coal plants -- including Ottumwa -- by 2030. The analysis, independently conducted by Synapse Energy on behalf of the Sierra Club, Iowa Environmental Council (IEC), and Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC), concluded that replacing the coal plants with renewable resources, such as wind, solar, and battery storage, was the most cost-effective option while ensuring reliable service to customers. Under a scenario with high gas prices and a carbon tax, the savings grow to $5 billion.
The economic analysis found that Ottumwa should be retired no later than 12/31/2024.
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