Washington, D.C. - Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1734, the Improving Coal Combustion Residuals Regulation Act of 2015, by a vote of 258-166. This bill would provide more certainty to coal ash recyclers and energy producers, while also enabling states to safely manage and dispose of coal ash in a manner that preserves American jobs and promotes recycling. Congressman Pearce issued the following statement:
"This bill will protect thousands of American jobs by allowing states to effectively manage their own coal ash activities," said Pearce. "The EPA's final rule on coal ash disposal failed to set up any regulatory oversight. Failure to create a regulatory structure has left the door open for outside radical special interest groups to determine how this rule is implemented. The House's vote today delivers regulatory certainty by granting states the ability to establish and manage the recycling of coal ash, while ensuring a federal minimum standard is met to protect human health and the environment. States should be responsible for making decisions that directly impact their families and their communities, not the federal government or third party interests groups."
H. R. 1734, seeks to improve the EPA's new coal ash rule by putting states in charge of implementing those rules, which provide for the recovery and beneficial use of coal ash under the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. The bill would also ensure that proper protections are in place to protect public health, the environment, and jobs. According to the Energy and Commerce Committee, H.R. 1734 would protect approximately 316,000 American jobs. The House-passed bill is endorsed by the Western Governors' Association, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the Environmental Council of the States, and the Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management Officials, among other organizations and trade associations.