Tell EPA to Issue Strong Limits On Coal Plant Water Pollution
For too long, coal plants have dumped unlimited amounts of heavy metals and other harmful pollutants into our rivers, lakes, streams, and other water bodies. This toxic pollution has contaminated drinking water sources and made it unsafe to fish in many waterbodies throughout the country.
In March 2023 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed new, more stringent wastewater treatment standards for coal-fired power plants. Coal plant companies are already urging EPA to weaken these Clean Water Act pollution limits. Add your voice today to tell the EPA to finalize the strongest possible coal plant water pollution standards!
Coal-fired power plants are one of the largest direct dischargers of toxic pollutants to rivers, lakes, and other water bodies. Clean Water Action has long advocated for EPA to require these plants to control their pollution using the best available treatment technologies. Prior to 2015, most coal plants had no limits on heavy metals and other harmful pollutants.The 2015 standards were rolled back in 2020 by the Trump administration. EPA’s new 2023 proposal to strengthen these standards is in response to a lawsuit Clean Water Action and other allies brought challenging that rollback.
EPA estimates these new standards will eliminate over half a billion pounds of water pollution every year by requiring significant reduction of mercury, arsenic, bromide, and other harmful pollutants. Bromide is especially harmful for drinking water systems because it can lead to the creation of carcinogenic byproducts in treated drinking water that are difficult and costly to remove. It’s long past time that coal-fired power plants used the best available technology to control their toxic pollution.
TAKE ACTION: Tell EPA to Protect our Waters from Power Plant Pollution!
Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards: Steam Electric Power Generating Point Source Category
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