United States
Environmental Protection
\r ^1	Agency
Office of Land & Emergency Management
December 2019
Proposed Coal Combustion Residuals
(CCR) Federal Permitting Program Rule
Background
In April 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) promulgated a comprehensive set of
requirements for the management of coal
combustion residuals (CCR) in landfills and
impoundments. CCR include a variety of waste
streams, specifically, fly ash, bottom ash, boiler slag,
and flue gas desulfurization materials generated
from coal-fired electricity utilities; these waste
streams are commonly known as coal ash. The rule
established corrective action, closure and post
closure, technical standards, and inspection,
monitoring, recordkeeping, and reporting
requirements.
Creation of State CCR Permit Programs
Congress recognized the essential role states play in
managing coal ash when they passed the 2016
Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation
(WIIN) Act. The WIIN Act, among other changes,
gave states the authority to operate coal ash
management permit programs in lieu of the federal
requirements, provided that EPA determines the
state's requirements are as protective as the federal
standards. EPA is currently working with several
states to establish their own permit programs. EPA
approved Oklahoma's coal ash program last year and
approved Georgia's program this year.
What is EPA Proposing?
As required by the WIIN Act, EPA is proposing a
streamlined, efficient, federal permitting program
for the disposal of CCR in surface impoundments and
landfills, which will also include electronic
permitting. EPA has used the lessons learned from
many years of implementing hazardous waste and
other permitting programs to design an efficient,
federal CCR permitting process.
What does this proposal include?
This proposal includes requirements for federal CCR
permit applications, content and modification, as
well as procedural requirements. EPA would
implement this permit program directly in Indian
Country, as it does other Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act (RCRA) programs, and at CCR units
located in states that have not submitted their own
CCR permit program for approval. Issuance of a
permit will provide increased clarity to owners and
operators of units about their obligations because
the rule requirements can be tailored to specific
conditions at the unit. The permit process will also
provide opportunity for public participation.
Where Can I Find More Information on This
Proposal?
For information about the proposed rule, contact
Stacey Yonce at 703-308-8476 or
yonce.stacev(a)epa. gov.
EPA will be accepting public comment on this
proposal for 60 days once the rule is published in the
Federal Register at Regulations.gov.
EPA will conduct a virtual public hearing about the
proposed rule. Additional information is available on
epa.gov/coalash.

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