EPA recently began releasing determinations on 57 facilities that manage coal
ash, and is taking comments on the date by which the facilities
must cease receipt of coal ash. EPA published the first set of
determinations at Regulations.gov on Jan. 25, 2022, with a 30-day
comment period ending Feb. 23.
Coal ash management units that do not meet the 2015 technical
standards for coal combustion residuals (CCR) have to cease
receiving coal ash and initiate closure. These 57 facilities are a
small subset of the nearly 500 coal ash management units that have
had to close because they do not meet the technical standards.
These 57 facilities sought an extension from the deadline of
April 11, 2021, by which they had to cease receipt of coal ash in
particular units. Facilities that could not meet the deadline had
to submit an application to EPA by Nov. 30, 2020, seeking an
extension. The extension application could be due to either the
facility being technically unable to meet
