Trump EPA Proposes Delaying Clean Water Protections

Arkansas - The Environmental Protection Agency announced this morning that it intends to give coal-fired power plants even more time to reduce their coal ash wastewater pollution, a decision that - if finalized - could increase heavy metal contamination of surface waterways across the United States. This delay would add more than 710 tons of coal ash wastewater pollution to Arkansas's environment.

In 2024, the EPA updated the Effluent Limitations Guidelines (ELG) to include stronger protections against coal ash wastewater pollution that enters streams, creeks, and lakes. Coal ash wastewater discharges contain heavy metals and toxins like mercury and arsenic that can cause increased risk of liver and kidney damage, cardiovascular illnesses, cancers, and developmental delays in children.

The Biden-era rule would require coal-burning power plants to eliminate these harmful discharges by 2029, or else commit by the end of this year to cease burning coal by 2034. Today, the EPA under the Trump Administration proposed extending both the compliance deadline and the end-of-year notice deadline-meaning coal plants would be allowed to continue discharging toxic wastewater under weaker standards for several more years. The Flint Creek coal plant in Northwest Arkansas could be impacted by a delay, if finalized.

According to the Sierra Club's Trump Coal Pollution Dashboard, a delay of last year's ELG updates would add over 325,000 tons of toxic pollution to public waterways nationwide every year.

In response, Sierra Club Beyond Coal Organizer Emory Hopkins issued the following statement:

"This is another instance of EPA putting clean air and water on the back burner while letting wealthy polluters off the hook. Coal plants have been given enough time to comply with these clean water protections - giving them even more time to clean up dangerous coal ash pollution is astounding. If this proposal is finalized, Arkansans will continue to be exposed to water tainted with heavy metals."

About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is America's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit https://www.sierraclub.org.