New rules for regulating coal ash? May 11, 2010 After months of
suspense, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finally
released its proposed new rule for regulating coal ash, the
waste material left after coal combustion. But instead of
proposing a clear policy, the EPA has laid out two distinct
options. One would require the states to adhere to strict
federal regulations for disposal of coal ash. Among other
things, it would phase out the disposal of coal ash in ponds and
other wet disposal methods. The second option would allow the
states to opt out of federal regulations, placing the burden on
citizens to press for protection from coal ash -- after it had
been dumped. Coal ash commonly contains a host of hazardous
constituents, including aluminum, antimony, arsenic, barium,
beryllium, boron, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, manganese,
mercury, molybdenum, nickel, selenium, strontium, thallium,
vanadium, and/or zinc. Leaching toxic substances When coal ash
is exposed to water, these toxic substance