Coal Ash Bill Lacks Key Components of EPA Rule, Stanislaus Tells House Energy Panel

摘要

An Environmental Protection Agency official stopped well short of endorsing a House bill March 24 that essentially would substitute state-driven permitting and enforcement requirements for the agency's attempt to impose federal requirements on coal ash storage facilities. Mathy Stanislaus, EPA assistant administrator for solid waste and emergency response, said "we appreciate provisions" the bill supporters essentially pulled from the agency's final rule and folded into a draft bill, the Improving Coal Combustion Residuals Regulation Act. But the legislation still lacks "additional essential elements of transparency, prevention and response" that are key components of the EPA rule, which he said are critical to the safe management of coal ash disposal and storage.