The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under President Trump is rolling back enforcement of coal ash regulations, giving more control to states and removing environmental justice as a priority in toxic waste oversight.
Gautama Mehta reports for Grist.
In short:
- The EPA plans to review and potentially delay cleanup requirements for coal ash at closed power plants, reversing a Biden-era rule.
- Enforcement priorities have been rewritten to avoid any action that could disrupt energy production, even if toxic pollution persists.
- States like Georgia have approved coal ash storage in unlined, water-adjacent landfills despite EPA warnings; more state programs may soon be approved.
Key quote:
“Environmental justice considerations shall no longer inform EPA’s enforcement and compliance assurance work.”
— Jeffrey Hall, acting head of EPA’s enforcement and compliance division
Why this matters:
Coal ash, a toxic byproduct of coal-fired power generation, remains one of the United States’ most stubborn environmental legacies. Laden with heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, and mercury, this waste is often stored in unlined pits near waterways, where it can leach into groundwater or spill during storms. Despite years of warnings from scientists and environmental groups, the regulatory framework governing these storage sites has remained piecemeal, but under the Biden administration, efforts were made to tighten standards and prioritize cleanup in the most vulnerable communities.
Now, with the EPA under the direction of the Trump administration, federal oversight is being relaxed. The new policy reduces monitoring and cleanup requirements, a move that critics say undermines protections for rural and low-income areas, where many of these aging coal plants are located. These communities often lack the resources to test or treat contaminated water and may suffer disproportionately from long-term exposure to the toxins in coal ash, raising renewed concerns about environmental justice and public health.
Related: Trump’s EPA moves to dismantle climate and pollution rules
