Edison Electric Institute hails passage of coal ash management bill

Following Congress' passage of the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act of 2016, the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) recently applauded legislators for their efforts to improve coal ash management.

"EEI commends members of the House and Senate for their efforts to complete the WIIN legislation, which contains critically important provisions for the safe management of coal ash," EEI President Tom Kuhn said on EEI's website. "As the EPA’s coal ash regulation goes into effect and our industry begins to close coal ash basins, these legislative provisions will enable states to be more involved in the permitting process for the closure of basins."

The legislation will allow for coal ash, a waste material created when coal is burned that contains contaminants like mercury, cadmium and arsenic, to be managed at a state level through state-run permitting programs.

"Permanently closing basins in a manner that puts safety first, protects the environment, and minimizes impacts to communities and customers is vitally important to the electric power industry," Kuhn said. “We look forward to the president signing the bill into law and to working with the administration and Congress as the provisions in the legislation are implemented.”