Despite Neutral Proposal, EPA Seen Preferring Hazardous Coal Ash Rules

摘要

EPA in its just-released proposal for first-time Resource Conservation & Recovery Act (RCRA) coal ash rules appears to prefer and lay the groundwork for hazardous waste rules by including cost-benefit estimates and other data bolstering the strict approach, in contrast to EPA's other option of regulating coal ash less strictly as solid waste.rnFurther, EPA officials on a May 4 press conference call announcing the new proposal defended a RCRA hazardous subtitle C regulatory option from industry criticisms that it would decimate industries that beneficially reuse ash in products such as cement. The officials also noted that under a RCRA subtitle D solid waste approach, EPA would lack federal enforcement authority for coal ash controls - a concern raised by activists who favor subtitle C.