New York Times: The Coal Ash Case & New National Standards
On January 20, 2010, the New York Times ran a strong editorial on the late 2008 Coal Ash Spill in eastern Tennessee criticising the closed-door nature of resulting talks to create new national standards for the disposal of coal ash.
Just over a year ago, one billion tons of toxic coal sludge broke loose from a containment pond belonging to the Tennessee Valley Authority, burying hundreds of acres of Roane County and threatening local water supplies and air quality. The Environmental Protection Agency immediately promised new national standards to replace a patchwork of uneven — and in many cases weak — state toxic materials regulations.
Unfortunately, the agency’s (non-public) recommendations are now the focus of a huge dispute inside the Obama administration, with industry lobbying hard for changes that would essentially preserve the status quo. The Times opines that the dispute should be resolved in favor of the environment and public safety.
Click here to read the full piece on the New York Times website. You can learn more about lawsuits relating to the Tennessee coal sludge spill here.
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