Environmental Justice Adviser Slams Pruitt Plan to Weaken Coal Ash Rules

"With groundwater tests showing toxins, the newly appointed adviser calls for better protection of low-income and minority communities near coal ash ponds."

"A newly appointed environmental justice adviser to the Environmental Protection Agency is criticizing an agency proposal to roll back regulations governing coal ash ponds, saying doing so would hurt disadvantaged communities.

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt announced his proposal to weaken federal coal ash rules earlier this month as a cost-cutting measure for businesses. At the same time, utility companies, responding to a federal deadline to report water monitoring results, were revealing high levels of toxins in groundwater near coal ash ponds at power plants across the country.

"It's framed as being able to save up to $100 million for the utility industry, but what's the trade-off?" said Jeremy Orr, a civil rights attorney and environmental and climate justice chair for the NAACP's Michigan State Conference, whose appointment to the EPA's National Environmental Justice Advisory Council was announced last week."

Phil McKenna reports for InsideClimate News March 15, 2018.

Source: InsideClimate News, 03/16/2018