Epa Takes Step Toward First-time Coal Waste Regulations Under Rcra

摘要

EPA plans to propose by the end of the year first-time regulations to control coal combustion waste (CCW), meeting long-running calls from environmentalists and some lawmakers for the agency to issue rules on the disposal of the waste. But the agency has still not determined whether to regulate the waste as hazardous under the Resource Conservation & Recovery Act (RCRA), a key demand of many environmentalists. EPA March 9 sent a survey to 163 utilities that manage an estimated 300 ponds where coal waste is deposited, asking the operators of the ponds to detail any spills or otherwise unauthorized releases during the last decade, and seeks information on the design, engineering and inspections of the ponds.