Lake County Gazette

HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. — Congressman Brad Schneider (IL-10) released the following statement in response to the recently released proposed regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to protect communities and local water sources from coal ash: 

“EPA’s announcement brings a huge victory for the Waukegan community, who were left to bear the burden of coal ash contamination from the NRG Energy coal plant closed last June. Waukegan families deserve the assurance that they will not suffer the long-term impact from coal ash pollution,” said Rep. Schneider. “The proposed rule will force coal ash pond site owners, including NRG Energy in Waukegan, to ensure that coal ash does not contaminate surrounding communities. I applaud the EPA’s proposal, which will significantly help Waukegan and other communities, while holding to account those responsible for coal pollution.”

On May 17th, the EPA proposed regulations that would require inactive power plants with coal ash surface impoundments to monitor, control, and clean up all contamination created by coal ash. A previous rule finalized by the EPA in 2015 regulated active impoundments but failed to address legacy impoundments that closed before the effective date of that rule.The retired coal power plant in Waukegan holds three separate coal ash impoundments, one of which became inactive prior to 2015. Under the new proposed rule, EPA would require site owners, including NRG Energy in Waukegan, to ensure the safe storage of all coal ash at their site, closing a loophole that allowed one of three impoundments in Waukegan to go unregulated and unmonitored.

The EPA is accepting public comments on the proposed rule through July 17th. It will hold an in-person public hearing on the proposed rule in Chicago on June 28th as well as a virtual public hearing on July 12th.

Schneider previously coordinated legislators to hold NRG accountable in its management of coal ash and supported legislation that would strengthen EPA’s regulatory authority over coal ash.The proposed rule stems from a 2018 U.S. Court of Appeals decision against EPA for exempting inactive coal ash impoundments from regulation. Coal ash is a form of pollution created by burning coal. It contains harmful contaminants like mercury, cadmium, chromium, and arsenic, which are associated with serious health effects including cancer. 

Original source can be found here.