EPA Ash Rule Softens Liner Mandate But Does Not Address ‘Legacy’ Sites

EPA is proposing to allow operators of coal ash disposal facilities that lack protective “composite” liners to keep operating if they can demonstrate that there is still “no reasonable probability” of significant groundwater contamination, softening a blanket ban on unlined waste sites that it proposed in late 2019 under an appellate court order. But in a move already drawing attacks from environmentalists, the Feb. 19 proposal does not add “legacy” ash sites located at closed power plants to the list...