Last month, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its first regulations regarding the management of disposal and handling of coal ash. This historic progress was initially sparked by the monumental coal ash disaster in Tennessee in 2008. Many of you will also remember recent coal ash spill by Duke Energy in the Dan River of North Carolina that hits closer to home for those of us at Entex. After the damage in 2008, the EPA began research on the United State’s existing infrastructure for coal-driven power plants and their processes for coal ash waste removal. The product of this research includes the following new federal requirements for coal ash disposal:

• Shutting down surface impoundments and landfills that do not comply with engineering and structural standards
• Mandating regular inspections of the safety of surface impoundment infrastructure
• Rules for where new surface impoundments and landfills can be located
• Requiring monitoring and immediate cleanup of contamination to protect water supply

So why is the EPA so concerned with coal ash? Spills have the potential to wreak havoc on the environment and cause millions of dollars in damage. Improper disposal of coal ash can lead to contamination of surface water, air, and ground water, as well as damage to surface impoundments.

The NC AWWA focused this year’s conference around the coal ash spill by Duke Energy, and our Marketing Analyst, Brittany Reeves, attended multiple lectures on the crisis and progress being made to combat the damage done.

A full description of the history of coal ash management and the EPA’s past and current actions can be found here.