September 6, 2010 · Texans are being asked to sound off as the EPA considers regulating the dumping of coal ash. This week a public hearing on the issue will be held in Dallas.
Every day, tons of coal in Texas are burned to generate our electricity. There are plenty of federal regulations about what comes out of the smoke stack , but none for the ash waste which contain heavy metals and other toxic contaminants.
The coal ash is dumped in landfills with little to no required safeguards, leading to contaminated soil and groundwater. Now the Environmental Protection Agency is looking at regulating coal ash for the first time.
Lisa Evans is the Senior Administrative Counsel for Earthjustice.
The electric power industry is lobbying to keep regulation up to individual states.
The EPA public hearing is in Dallas on Wednesday.
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