(Admin note: This brief article was submitted by invitation to discuss an innovative new technology that may be of use when addressing potential leachate from mining materials. We thought ACC & CAC member companies, and the readers of the Coalblog could find their suggestions interesting.)

By: Barbara and Alex Blake, Anceco Corp.

Admin note: We recently invited ACC member and coal combustion products (CCP) management experts, Charah, Inc. to prepare an editorial for the Coalblog and monthly member update newsletter. In this article, they describe how they beneficially used CCPs to help ensure their newly constructed corporate headquarters met LEEDs program requirements. We invite you to check out the article and Charah’s website (www.charah.com) to learn more about their offerings.

Citizens for Recycling First (CFRF) has updated its information on the EPA and its stance on coal ash recycling. In a recent blog post, they describe how the EPA has quietly abandoned its support of, and participation in, the Coal Combustion Products Partnership (C²P²) program earlier this week with a small note at the top of the C²P² page.

On May 4th, 2010, EPA proposed the first-ever national rules to ensure the safe disposal and management of coal combustion residuals from coal-fired power plants. While EPA is engaged in the rulemaking process, the Agency has suspended active participation in the Coal Combustion Products Partnership. EPA continues to believe that beneficial use of coal combustion residuals, when performed properly and in a safe manner, is beneficial to the environment.

Citizens for Recycling First has a good explanation of how the EPA’s recent proposal on coal ash regulation still leaves the door wide open for a “hazardous” designation under Subtitle C of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

So, it looks like we’re not done yet. The simple facts are that it’s not reasonable to designate something as “hazardous” and then expect that people will still want to use it in the construction of their offices, homes, schools, etc.

The science doesn’t support the hazardous designation; the push for a Subtitle C designation is based in politics and special interest pressure tactics. Worse, it will cause significant damage the economy, and the environment.

Text of Coal Combustion Residuals – Proposed Rule ~ http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/industrial/special/fossil/ccr-rule/ccr-rule-prop.pdf. For more information on the Coal Combustion Residuals – proposed rule, see the EPA’s website ~ http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/industrial/special/fossil/ccr-rule/index.htm

This Citizens for Recycling First blog post discusses the EPA’s clear support for the beneficial use and recycling of coal ash

EPA Supports Coal Ash Recycling While Issuing Regulatory Options

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officials voiced strong support for recycling coal ash today as they formally announced that they are considering two approaches to regulating coal ash disposal.

WOCA Call for Papers

Deadline: October 1, 2010

The World of Coal Ash organizers invite you to submit an abstract for consideration for WOCA 2011. Topics include: regulatory initiatives, flue gas desulfurization materials, traditional and non-traditional uses, disposal and land applications, new and emerging technologies, and more.

For details please visit: www.worldofcoalash.org

Organized by the American Coal Ash Association & the University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research

In June of last year, I took part in a moderated debate with Bruce Nilles, head of the Sierra Club’s anti-coal group. We had a lively discussion and batted information and statistics back an forth for about an hour and a half. However, many of Nilles’ arguments were spiced with dirty tricks and personal attacks. Those questionable tactics reached a pronounced low point when he tried to attack the idea of using coal to produce transportation fuels (at the 34 minute mark of the video). He argued,

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today released action plans developed by 22 electric utility facilities with coal ash impoundments, describing the measures the facilities are taking to make their impoundments safer. The action plans are a response to EPA’s assessment reports on the structural integrity of these impoundments that the agency made public last September. Coal ash was brought prominently to national attention in 2008 when an impoundment holding disposed ash waste generated by the Tennessee Valley Authority broke open, creating a massive spill in Kingston, TN, that covered millions of cubic yards of land and river and is regarded as one of the worst environmental disasters of its kind in history. Shortly afterwards, EPA began overseeing the cleanup, as well as investigating the structural integrity of impoundments where ash waste is stored.

WSJ.com describes the an internal “tussle” in the administration over coal ash.