Louisville, Kentucky and the Ohio River
CINCINNATI — On behalf of Ohio Citizen Action, I strongly urge you to hold a public hearing on the proposed new coal ash regulations in or around Louisville, Kentucky. None of the proposed Public Hearings regarding the Coal Combustion Residuals Rule, Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-RCRA-2009-0640, are scheduled for locations in the Ohio River Valley area.
The Ohio River Valley is more saturated with coal combustion waste disposal sites than any other region in the country. The most recent Department of Energy statistics show that the Ohio River Valley states of Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky are home to more than 6 million tons of coal ash. According to the most recent Department of Energy statistics, this is more than 30% of the nation’s entire coal waste. In addition, 15 of the 44 EPA high hazard sites are in the Ohio River Valley.
Millions and millions of people in the Ohio River Valley get our drinking water from the Ohio River, making the disposal and storage of coal ash waste in the valley extremely risky. Please reconsider your decision and hold a public hearing in Louisville, Kentucky.
— Rachael Belz, Coal Program organizer, Ohio Citizen Action
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The USEPA is also accepting written comments on the proposed rule until September 20, 2010. Ohio Citizen Action is urging the USEPA to regulate coal ash with the stronger of the two proposals, called Subtitle C, rather than the more lax proposal of Subtitle D.
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