For years, environmentalists have been calling on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to regulate coal ash. That’s the byproduct of coal that’s produced when it’s burned for electricity. In December, the agency did just that, issuing the first ever federal guidelines about its storage and disposal.EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy described the rules as quote “a pragmatic step forward to protect public health”. But some environmentalists were dismayed by the agency’s decision to classify the substance as non-hazardous waste.
Current State talks about the reaction to the new regulations and what they would mean for Michigan with Margi Armstrong, program coordinator for Michigan Clean Water Action.
This segment is supported by Michigan State University's Knight Center for Environmental Journalism. More news about the Great Lakes environment can be found at GreatLakesEcho.org and on Current State every Tuesday as part of our partnership.