December 19, 2014 marked the deadline for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to announce its final decision regarding a new regulatory scheme for coal ash disposal (Coal Combustion Residuals or CCR). The new regulations are to focus on the disposal of coal ash.
The pressure for new regulations began mounting after the rupture of a Tennessee power plant in 2008 which sent over 1 billion gallons of coal ash into nearby Tennessee rivers. Subsequently, on February 2, 2014, a Duke Energy plant released approximately 39,000 tons of coal ash into the Dan River in North Carolina.
During the lead up to the EPA decision, interest groups have been battling over whether coal ash should be categorized as solid non-hazardous waste or hazardous material. This ongoing battle will likely foreshadow legislative arguments we can expect in 2015.
In the past, Representative, David McKinley of West Virginia and Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota both have been active in introducing legislation allowing states to regulate coal ash as non-hazardous waste. Additionally, Senator James Inhofe, the incoming chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works has stated that states have “responsibly and effectively managed coal ash” without federal intervention.
Further, Inhofe has stated, “[i]n the new Congress, my colleagues and I will intently review the impacts this rule could have to our economy and electricity reliability as well as highlight how states are leading the way on properly disposing and recycling coal ash.” See Sean Cockerham, EPA rules on coal ash may disappoint environmentalists, buoy industry, ColumbusLedger-Enquirer (Dec. 17, 2014). Following his re-election, Majority leader Mitch McConnell stated that he feels a “deep responsibility” to stop the EPA from regulating carbon emissions at coal-burning power plants. McConnell said his top priority is “to try to do whatever I can to get the EPA reined in.” See Sam Youngman, McConnell: If Rand Paul runs for president, ‘he’ll be able to count on me’, Lexington Herald-Leader (Nov. 6, 2014).
