EPA Moves to Shift Coal Ash Monitoring Authority to States
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Trump administration is signaling a significant shift in environmental regulation by transferring oversight of toxic coal ash monitoring from federal to state authorities. This move aims to roll back federal protections and expand state primacy, following a pattern established during Trump’s first term. Currently, five states—Georgia, Oklahoma, Texas, North Dakota, and Wyoming—have approved coal ash programs, with Virginia also in the approval process. Critics, including the Southern Environmental Law Center, argue that state agencies are often underfunded and susceptible to utility industry influence, leading to lax enforcement. For instance, Georgia regulators approved permits allowing coal ash to remain submerged in groundwater despite EPA rebukes and community outcry. This decision is part of a broader campaign to decentralize environmental regulation, which includes handing over wetlands permitting in Florida and accepting state-level air quality plans previously rejected by the Biden administration. With over 670 coal ash ponds nationwide posing risks of heavy metal contamination, the shift raises concerns about consistent safety standards and environmental protection across the United States.
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