Western Governors have expressed support for the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposed revisions to its Coal Combustion Residuals Rule, including the provision of authority to participating states to establish alternative groundwater protection standards, location restrictions, and points of compliance in certain circumstances.
The Governors' comments on the revisions for “Hazardous and Solid Waste Management System; Disposal of Coal Combustion Residuals From Electric Utilities,” were sent to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt on March 28, 2018.
Specifically, the letter notes: "Governors support the provision of authority to participating states to: establish alternative groundwater protection standards, location restrictions, and points of compliance in certain circumstances; modify corrective actions, compliance time frames, and groundwater monitoring in certain circumstances; and certify regulatory compliance."
The outreach also emphasized governors’ support for the revisions to align the CCR Rule with the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act, and referenced WGA Policy Resolution 2017-07, The Regulation of Coal Combustion Residuals, and WGA Policy Resolution 2017-04, Water Quality in the West, which reflect EPA’s efforts to increase flexibility for states to manage CCRs and acknowledge state primacy over groundwater.
“Western Governors encourage safe, beneficial use of CCRs, including for geotechnical and civil engineering purposes, and urge EPA to work with states to promote other beneficial use of CCRs” states the letter signed by WGA Chair South Dakota Dennis Daugaard and WGA Vice Chair Hawaii Gov. David Ige.
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