Environmentalists turn out in force to oppose Trump coal ash rollbacks

During a virtual public hearing organized by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Thursday, a significant number of environmental advocates expressed their strong disapproval of proposed regulations that would diminish the standards utilities must adhere to when cleaning up toxic coal ash at numerous sites nationwide. Lisa Evans, a senior counsel at Earthjustice and former EPA attorney, emphasized the potential dangers, stating, "The Trump administration has jeopardized the nation’s drinking water supplies as a favor to polluters. It’s just not right." In April, the Trump administration disclosed plans to repeal a rule established in 2024 by the Biden administration's EPA, which mandated utilities to monitor coal ash sites at inactive coal plants. Furthermore, the Trump EPA proposed to ease groundwater protection requirements near these sites and suggested that states could take over monitoring and enforcement, thus allowing them to bypass certain national standards. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin referred to the newly proposed regulations as "commonsense changes," asserting that they represent the agency's dedication to restoring American energy dominance and strengthening cooperative federalism. However, the proposals would exempt some sites from regulation and allow coal-fired power plant owners to defer or minimize their responsibilities regarding coal ash management. Coal ash, a byproduct of coal combustion, contains harmful substances such as mercury, arsenic, and lead, which are linked to serious health issues, including cancer. Interestingly, over half of this fine, gray residue is repurposed each year for uses like concrete and drywall, which the coal industry labels as "beneficial use." A 2022 study by Earthjustice and other environmental organizations revealed that more than 90 percent of coal power plants in the United States were found to be contaminating groundwater due to coal ash residues.