ATLANTA — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced it has finalized its decision to deny Alabama’s coal ash permitting program. The EPA found that Alabama’s proposal did not adequately address potential groundwater contamination, particularly by allowing coal ash to be stored in unlined pits.
Georgia, through the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD), is one of only three states in the U.S. with authority to implement their own coal ash permit program, on the condition that the state’s requirements are as strong as federal law. Notably, Georgia's coal ash permitting program suffers from many of the same problems that led to Alabama’s plan being denied, including allowing coal ash to sit in groundwater in perpetuity even after closure. In fact, the most recent permit the Georgia EPD finalized under its state-run program, for Plant Hammond in Floyd County, will leave coal ash partly submerged in groundwater.
In response to the news, Sierra Club Georgia Chapter Director G Webber released the following statement:
"The EPA’s decision to deny Alabama’s dangerous coal ash permitting program sends a clear signal that states can’t cut corners when disposing of this toxic material. It’s time to stop putting the health of our communities at risk. We know coal ash is full of dangerous and harmful substances, we know these substances are seeping into groundwater at sites across Georgia, and we know Georgia Power has spent years lobbying the Georgia EPD to approve its inadequate coal ash closure plans. The Georgia EPD should take notice of the EPA’s decision and force utilities like Georgia Power to comply with federal regulations, and if it doesn’t, the EPA should revoke the EPD’s authority to approve these permits."
About the Sierra Club Georgia Chapter
The Sierra Club Georgia Chapter is the largest grassroots environmental organization in the state, with more than 75,000 members and supporters. The Chapter supports a robust outings program and has active committees working on forest and coastal protection, transit expansion, and clean energy. For more information, visit sierraclub.org/georgia.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit sierraclub.org.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Ricky Leroux, Senior Communications & Policy Coordinator
404-607-1262 ext. 234 | ricky.leroux@sierraclub.org