Undermining the EPA's long-awaited rules:
The U.S. Senate is preparing to vote as early as next week on a bill, The Water Resources Development Act of 2016, that may include a coal ash amendment that would significantly undercut the Environmental Protection Agency’s federal coal ash rule.
Prior to EPA’s rule, coal ash disposal was subject to a patchwork of state regulations that left communities vulnerable to hundreds of cases of damage or catastrophic spills. EPA’s rule establishes clear requirements for monitoring, cleanup, closure, and public notification that keep the public safe and informed, but these bright-line requirements of the rule are now in jeopardy, as this bill could allow polluters to have EPA’s clear standards swapped for site-specific standards that “differ” from EPA’s standards.
The fossil fuel industry learned a long time ago it was easier to manipulate state governments than the EPA, examples of which we've seen numerous times here in NC. And as usual, Republicans in Congress are using much-needed funding (Flint water crisis) as a hostage to serve their industry masters' desires. Here's more detail on this reckless amendment:
http://ift.tt/2cf3BYo
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