EPA has proposed granting Alabama authority over coal power plant waste, the latest in a string of actions by the Trump administration to relax rules around harmful coal ash and give states more authority over how it’s stored.
The Trump administration on Monday moved to partially approve a permit program for 16 sprawling coal ash dumps in Alabama, reversing a Biden-era conclusion that the state’s plans would jeopardize health and safety.
EPA also separately announced that it was considering developing a national general permit for coal ash dumps — also known as coal combustion residual (CCR) units — and requested comments on what the permit should cover.
“Under the Trump Administration, EPA is advancing state-led CCR permitting, streamlining and clarifying CCR rules, and implementing deadline extensions, cutting red tape to bolster grid reliability and affordability,” Administrator Lee Zeldin said in a news release.
