EPA To Delay Cleanups of Georgia’s Toxic Coal Ash Landfills

ATLANTA - Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it will side with the coal industry over our communities and delay the required cleanup of toxic coal ash landfills until 2030.

Coal ash, also known as coal combustion residuals (CCRs), is the toxic ash left behind from burning coal and can pollute waterways, groundwater, drinking water, and the air with harmful chemicals such as mercury, cadmium, chromium, and arsenic. In Georgia, there are 24 federally regulated coal ash ponds and landfills containing nearly 87 million cubic yards of toxic waste at nine coal plants. All but one of these sites have contaminated groundwater. 

This decision comes as the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) is considering allowing coal ash to be capped-in-place at Plant McDonough, leaving the toxic ash in an unlined pit with no barrier to prevent it from seeping into groundwater below.

In response, the Sierra Club released the following statement:

“The Trump Administration once again shows it cares more about polluters than it does about people. The commitment to clean up toxic coal ash landfills like those at Plants Bowen and McDonough was made to keep Americans safe and healthy, but this administration cares more about propping up the coal industry and protecting polluters. The longer Georgia Power waits to clean up this coal ash, the more polluted our groundwater will be and the more expensive it will be for Georgia Power to eventually clean it up — and Georgia Power ratepayers will be forced to pay the bill. We cannot allow regulators and utilities to disregard the health of everyday people for the sake of the coal industry’s profits,” said Lexy Doherty, Campaign Organizing Strategist with the Sierra Club.