Coal Mining & Electric Utilities FactSheet Coal Mining & Electric Utilities 1998 TRI Public Data Release Questions, Answers and Facts Since 1986, the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) has collected information on the annual release and management of toxic chemicals from manufacturing facilities. The reporting requirements were recently expanded, and the 1998 version of the Toxics Release Inventory contains the first reports from seven new industry sectors, including coal mines and electricity generators. This fact sheet is designed to help eople understand the information reported by coal mining and electricity generating facilities. What are the reporting requirements for coal mines? The TRI regulations require coal mines to file reports documenting release amounts and waste management practices for every listed chemical used over threshold amounts. The reporting requirements thresholds are 25,000 pounds for chemicals that are manufactured or processed and 10,000 pounds for chemicals that are otherwise used. What types of coal mines report? Both surface and underground coal mines are required to report under TRI. In Utah and Wyoming, there are several facilities that operate both a coal mine and an electric utility. The TRI data for these mining & utility complexes are included with the electric utilities, not the coal mines. Why did most Region 8 coal mines not report? Because of the type of coal deposits that are found in Region 8, once the coal is extracted from the earth there is little preparation that needs to occur before the coal is shipped to electric utilities and other users. Coal mines that do not use chemical processes to separate the coal from rock and other material will likely not meet the TRI reporting thresholds. Coal mines that do not dispose of coal ash will also likely not meet the TRI reporting thresholds. What coal mining activities generate releases that are reportable under TRI? Activities that may generate reportable TRI releases include coal transportation, preparation, cleaning, drying, storage, mine reclamation activities, and coal ash disposal. Toxic chemicals used during coal preparation and cleaning are minimal at many Region 8 mines. Why do some coal mines have large releases of metals to the land and other coal mines no releases at all? Under the TRI program, coal mines are required to report coal ash that is generated on-site or received from off-site and used for mine reclamation as an on- site land release. The coal ash contains low concentrations of metals and metal compounds. The coal ash that mines dispose of is generated from electric utilities that use coal to produce electricity. Are these releases legal? The TRI report alone does not indicate whether the facility's release is legal. These releases must be compared with applicable permits to evaluate whether the facility is in compliance with other environmental regulations. Many of the releases included in the Toxics Release Inventory report are permitted by EPA and State Regulatory Agencies. ------- Coal Mining & Electric Utilities FactSheet What are the reporting requirements for electric utilities? The TRI regulations require electric utilities to file reports documenting release amounts and waste management practices for every listed chemical used over threshold amounts. The reporting thresholds are 25,000 pounds for chemicals that are manufactured or processed and 10,000 pounds for chemicals that are otherwise used. What types of electric utilities report? Electric utilities that combust coal or oil to generate power for distribution in commerce are required to report. The combustion of kerosene and petroleum coke, is also considered the combustion of oil. Hydroelectric facilities and electric utilities that combust natural gas are not required to report. What electricity generating activities generate releases that are reportable under TRI? Electric utilities typically must report for TRI chemicals created during combustion. Impurities in the coal or oil contribute to releases of metal compounds and sulfur oxides during combustion. These metals include barium, copper, chromium, manganese, lead, nickel and zinc. Often these metals can be found in the air emissions from the facility's stack, or as trace elements in the coal ash generated from coal combustion. Other chemicals formed during combustion include hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, and hydrogen fluoride. These chemicals are typically released to the air from the facility's stacks. Why do some electricity generating facilities have large releases of metals to the land? Electric utilities that combust coal generate large amounts of coal ash. Although this coal ash contains mostly silica, it also contains trace amounts of metal compounds. Large quantities of ash containing these metals may be disposed of in an on-site landfill or transferred to an off-site landfill or coal mine. May 2000 Are there ways to use coal ash so that it is not buried in a landfill? Actually, there are many ways ash can be used, and not disposed of in landfills. Current uses of ash include: soil stabilization, plastics, roofing materials, concrete, mine reclamation and road paving. Are these releases legal? The TRI report alone does not indicate whether the facility's release is legal. These releases must be compared with applicable permits to evaluate whether the facility is in compliance with other environmental regulations. Many of the releases included in the Toxics Release Inventory report are permitted by EPA and State Regulatory Agencies. How do I find out more? The Toxics Release Inventory is a starting point for learning more about the toxic chemical releases in your community. We will be more than happy to answer your questions and assist you in learning more about the Toxics Release Inventory program, coal mines and electric utilities in Region 8. Joyel Dhieux EPCRA/TRI Program Coordinator U.S. EPA Region 8 303-312-6447 For more detailed information on the Toxics Release Inventory Program or to access the TRI database, visit EPA on-line at: http://www.epa. gov/tri or see EPA's Sector Notebook: Profile of the Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation Industry (EPA 310-R- 97-007) available on-line at: http://es.epa. gov/oeca/sector/ ------- |