Search

Final Rule Alert: EPA Amends 2015 Coal Combustion Residuals Rule

Posted on 7/26/2018 by Roger Marks

shutterstock_20957983.jpgNew Acting EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler on Wednesday, July 18 announced that the Agency has finalized a set of amendments to the 2015 CCR Rule, which regulated the disposal of coal combustion residuals.

New requirements added for coal-burning power plants in the 2015 CCR Rule included national minimum criteria for coal combustion residuals landfills and surface impoundments. The CCR Rule also introduced new limits on expansion of CCR disposal facilities and would have required closure or retro-fitting of certain landfills and surface impoundments that could not meet certain performance criteria.

The changes finalized in a rule signed by the Administrator represent “phase one” of EPA’s plan to reconsider and/or revise the 2015 CCR Rule. For a full review of what’s changing in the CCR rule, check out the pre-publication version here.


What’s in Phase One of EPA’s CCR Revisions?

Here what you should know about “phase one” of EPA’s plans.
 
  • Add a provision which allows the Participating State Director to issue certifications in lieu of a professional engineer (PE).
  • Add a provision which allows the Participating State Director to approve the suspension of groundwater monitoring in certain circumstances.
  • Revise groundwater protection standards (GWPS) for four chemicals listed in Appendix IV of 40 CFR 257.
  • Extend, in some cases, the deadline by which facilities must cease placing waste in CCR units closing for cause.
EPA estimates the cost savings of this rulemaking to be between $27 million and $32 million.


Why Do Power Plants Discharge “Coal Ash” to the Water?

coal-fired-power-plant.jpgThe 2015 Final Rule was not US EPA's first attempt to “clean up” the byproducts of coal-fired electricity generation. Between 1974 and 1982, US EPA created and revised effluent limitation guidelines for wastewaters from utilities. Since then, EPA has made great progress restricting air pollution emissions from steam-powered electric power generators.

One major way power plants have "cleaned up" their air emissions over time is by filtering, or "scrubbing," to remove particulate matter like soot and ash, or toxic chemicals like sulfur, nitrogen, and mercury. The air emissions pass through a water-based filter system that "scrubs" the air, removing particulate matter from the air and resulting in cleaner air emissions.

The soot, ash, and other substances left behind in the scrubber water then must be discharged somehow. Put simply, to better protect the air, power plants were left to shift these pollutants to the water instead.


In Houston: Complete Environmental
Regulations Training, August 9—10

Are you the go-to person for all things EHS at your facility? Join us in Houston on August 9–10 for the nationally trusted Complete Environmental Regulations Workshop.

chemist-oil-and-gas-young.jpgUnderstanding the air, water, and chemical regulations that apply to your facility will help you communicate clearly and confidently with your organization and better defend your business against costly fines, penalties, and future liability. This workshop covers the critical elements of major EPA programs that impact industrial facilities every day.
 
Can’t attend live? Check out the Complete Environmental Regulations Online Course The online course is packed with training content, tutorials, resources, and FAQs that clarify and simplify the complex, overlapping EPA rules you must know. 
 

Tags: Act, Clean, coal ash, EPA, new rules, RCRA, Water

Find a Post

Compliance Archives

Lion - Quotes

The instructor had knowledge of regulations and understanding of real-world situations. The presentation style was engaging and fostered a positive atmosphere for information sharing.

Linda Arlen

Safety & Environmental Compliance Officer

I have been to other training companies, but Lion’s material is much better and easier to understand.

Mark Abell

Regional Manager

The workshop covered a lot of information without being too overwhelming. Lion is much better, more comprehensive than other training providers.

George Alva

Manufacturing Manager

Well designed and thorough program. Excellent summary of requirements with references. Inclusion of regulations in hard copy form, as well as full electronic with state pertinent regulations included is a great bonus!

Oscar Fisher

EHS Manager

I love that the instructor emphasized the thought process behind the regs.

Rebecca Saxena

Corporate Product Stewardship Specialist

Lion was very responsive to my initial questions and the website was user friendly.

Michael Britt

Supply Chain Director

The instructor does a great job at presenting material in an approachable way. I have been able to save my company about $30,000 in the last year with what I have learned from Lion!

Curtis Ahonen

EHS&S Manager

Very well structured, comprehensive, and comparable to live training seminars I've participated in previously. I will recommend the online course to other colleagues with training requirement needs.

Neil Luciano

EHS Manager

The instructor was very dedicated to providing a quality experience. She did her best to make sure students were really comprehending the information.

Stephanie Venn

Inventory Control Specialist

We have a very busy work schedule and using Lion enables us to take the course at our own time. It makes it easy for me to schedule my employees' training.

Timothy Mertes

Hazmat Shipping Professional

Download Our Latest Whitepaper

Use this guide as a quick reference to the most common HAZWOPER questions, and get course recommendations for managers and personnel who are in need of OSHA-required HAZWOPER training.

Latest Whitepaper

By submitting your phone number, you agree to receive recurring marketing and training text messages. Consent to receive text messages is not required for any purchases. Text STOP at any time to cancel. Message and data rates may apply. View our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.