Coal ash regulation bill passes U.S. House

Oct. 17 -- A bill in Congress that would force the U.S. EPA to regulate coal ash under Subtitle D passed the House of Representatives.

H.R. 2273, sponsored by Rep. David McKinley, R-W.Va., passed the House 267-144 on Oct. 14.

The bill comes as the EPA is considering designating coal ash under Subtitle C of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, but the substance would be regulated under Subtitle D when it is recycled.

"This bill will prevent hundreds of dollars in increased electricity costs, stop hundreds of thousands of job losses, strengthen and protect public health, and tighten the disposal and the management of coal ash, ultimately giving states control of the program and the ability to work with the EPA to ensure it is handled, stored and monitored properly," McKinley said in a statement.

Coal ash is used in the construction and agriculture industries to produce materials like concrete mixtures, drywall and fertilizers. Environmental groups argue that coal ash is dangerous because it contains metals and chemicals like arsenic, lead and selenium.

Contact Waste & Recycling News reporter Jeremy Carroll at jcarroll@crain.com or 313-446-6780.

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