WIXLIB

September 14, 2012United States SenateWashington, DC 20510Re: Senate bill 3512 leaves communities unprotected from toxic pollutionDear Senator:The undersigned 301 state and national public interest organizations, representing people inevery state in the country respectfully ask you to oppose the Coal Ash Recycling and OversightAct of 2012 (S.3512). Sponsored by Sens. Hoeven, Conrad and Baucus, S.3512 fails to protectour communities’ health and environment from the damage caused by unsafe dumping of toxiccoal ash. The bill would regulate coal ash less stringently than the household trash you set out onthe curb, even though the health risks from coal ash include cancer, neurological disorders, birthdefects, reproductive failure, asthma, and other serious illnesses.Coal ash, the by-product of burning coal, contains toxic heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium,hexavalent chromium, lead and mercury. Billions of tons of this toxic waste are stored in unlinedponds, landfills and mines in almost every state in the nation. Many of these sites leave thepublic at risk of contamination as toxic ash blows into nearby communities and pollutants seepinto water. EPA and public interest groups have documented water contamination at nearly 200ash disposal sites across the nation.S.3512 fails to solve the serious health and environmental threat posed to thousands of Americancommunities near ash disposal sites. First, it allows dangerous ponds to continue operatingwithout enforceable closure dates and engineering and inspection standards, and thus it will failto prevent another large-scale disaster like the massive coal ash spill that occurred in Kingston,Tennessee in 2008. Second, the bill shields utilities from their responsibility to control fugitivedust and to timely upgrade unsafe ash dumps, clean up the sites they have contaminated, andclose leaking and unstable ponds and landfills. Under S. 3512, there are no deadlines for states toimplement a permit program, even though there are over 1,300 aging coal ash dumps, most ofwhich currently lack adequate safeguards (such as liners and leachate collection systems) toprevent toxic chemicals from escaping and contaminating water. The bill fails to protect lowincome and minority communities that are disproportionately exposed to toxic pollution —70%of ash ponds are in areas where household income is lower than the national median.Even though the sponsors of S.3512 claim this bill will help the recycling of coal ash, it willactually do the opposite by encouraging the continued operation of hundreds of coal ashponds. Once ash is dumped in water, it cannot easily be recycled. Thus S.3512 encouragesdumping that ruins billions of pounds of ash annually for reuse.Lastly S.3512 nullifies the EPA’s proposed coal ash rulemaking that has received 450,000 publiccomments, essentially silencing the voices of nearly half a million Americans who supported1

protective regulations. In addition, the bill prohibits all future EPA rulemakings to controlpollution from coal ash. The complete and permanent removal of EPA’s regulatory authority torespond to the health and environmental threats from the nation’s second largest industrial wasteis unprecedented and extremely dangerous, particularly in light of the certain increase in thevolume and toxicity of coal ash due to more stringent Clean Air Act requirements.We urge you to protect American communities and oppose S.3512. This flawed bill fails tomitigate the risk of another human health and environmental disaster and leaves our watersources open to contamination with dangerous heavy metals. While claiming to be a solution toour coal pollution problem, this bill is merely a giveaway to industry that will hurt the health andwell being of millions of Americans.Sincerely,Martin HaydenVice President, Policy and LegislationEarthjusticePhil RadfordExecutive DirectorGreenpeace USAScott SlesingerLegislative DirectorNatural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)Alex TaurelLegislative RepresentativeLeague of Conservation VotersMary Anne HittDirector, Beyond Coal CampaignSierra ClubCatherine Thomasson, MDExecutive DirectorPhysicians for Social ResponsibilityLynn ThorpNational Campaigns DirectorClean Water ActionAimee EricksonExecutive DirectorCitizens Coal CouncilEric SchaefferExecutive DirectorEnvironmental Integrity ProjectMarc YaggiExecutive DirectorWaterkeeper Alliance, Inc.Natalie U. RoyExecutive DirectorClean Water NetworkSusan StephensonExecutive DirectorThe Regeneration ProjectInterfaith Power & LightJim LyonVice President for Conservation PolicyNational Wildlife FederationScott KovarovicsConservation DirectorIzaak Walton League of AmericaHilary O. SheltonDirectorWashington Bureau & Senior VicePresident for Policy and AdvocacyNAACP2

Michelle ChanEconomic Policy Project DirectorFriends of the EarthBrian MooreLegislative DirectorNational Audubon SocietyFrank O’DonnellPresidentClean Air WatchJeff RuchExecutive DirectorPublic Employees for EnvironmentalResponsibility (PEER)Mary Beth BeethamDirector of Legislative AffairsDefenders of WildlifeAnna AurilioDirectorEnvironment AmericaErich PicaPresidentFriends of the EarthRose BrazClimate Campaign DirectorCenter for Biological DiversityElizabeth B. SteinAttorney, Energy ProgramEnvironmental Defense FundAlabamaMyra CrawfordExecutive Director & RiverkeeperCahaba RiverkeeperBirmingham, ALCharles ScribnerExecutive DirectorBlack Warrior RiverkeeperBirmingham, ALFrank ChitwoodRiverkeeper & Executive DirectorCoosa RiverkeeperRiverside, ALMichael William MullenExecutive Director/RiverkeeperChoctawhatchee Riverkeeper, Inc.Banks, ALCindy LowryExecutive DirectorAlabama Rivers AllianceBirmingham, ALJohn L. WathenHurricane CreekkeeperFriends of Hurricane CreekTuscaloosa, ALAlaskaRuss MaddoxAdvocacy DirectorResurrection Bay Conservation AllianceSeward, AKLissa HughesLegislative LiaisonNorthern Alaska Environmental CenterFairbanks, AKHeidi ZimmerEnvironmental Health CoordinatorAlaska Community Action on ToxicsAnchorage, AKBob ShavelsonCook InletkeeperHomer, AK3

ArkansasRobert McAfee and Shelley BuonaiutoCo-Conveners, OMNI 350Fayetteville, ARSteve CopleyCo-ChairArkansas Interfaith Power and LightLittle Rock, ARMartha Dina ArgüelloExecutive DirectorPhysicians for Social Responsibility - LosAngeles (PSR-LA)Los Angeles, CARobert Gould, MDPresidentSF-Bay Area Physicians for SocialResponsibilityBerkeley, CAArizonaBarbara H. Warren, MD, MPHChairPhysicians for Social ResponsibilityArizona ChapterTucson, AZHarry Wang, MDPresidentSacramento Physicians for SocialResponsibilitySacramento, CARev. Doug BlandCo-Executive DirectorArizona Interfaith Power & LightTempe, AZAntoinette Stein PhDCo-executive DirectorCitizen’s Climate Lobby, Eastbay CaliforniaGroupBerkeley, CAStephen BrittlePresidentDon't Waste ArizonaPhoenix, AZDenny LarsonExecutive DirectorGlobal Community MonitorEl Cerrito, CACaliforniaRose BrazClimate Campaign DirectorCenter for Biological DiversitySan Francisco, CATiffany SchauerExecutive DirectorOur Children's Earth FoundationSan Francisco, CAColoradoKate WilsonExecutive AssistantRussian RiverkeeperHealdsburg, CACathy TintingerCo-FounderColorado Fourteeners Against CCWLamar, COMiriam GordonState DirectorClean Water Action CaliforniaSan Francisco, CADan RandolphExecutive DirectorSan Juan Citizens AllianceDurango, CO4

Gary WocknerProgram DirectorClean Water Action ColoradoDenver, CORev. Andy BellExecutive DirectorSunshine State Interfaith Power & LightSaint Petersburg, FLGina B. HardinCO-FORCEDenver, CORonald Saff, MDAllergy and Asthma Diagnostic TreatmentCenterTallahassee, FLGary Wockner, PhDDirectorSave The Poudre: Poudre WaterkeeperFort Collins, COAnna FrazierStaffDine CAREDurango, CODelawareJohn SykesPresidentDelaware Interfaith Power and LightDover, DEDistrict of ColumbiaEd MerrifieldPresident/RiverkeeperPotomac RiverkeeperWashington, DCTirso MorenoGeneral CoordinatorFarmworker Association of FloridaApopka, FLRobert N. Hartsell, Esq.Law Firm of Robert Hartsell P.A.Fort Lauderdale, FLEddie DuttonExecutive DirectorSouth Florida Cancer AssociationMiami, FLCherubin TragelusDirector HaitianOrganization for Reforestation andEnvironmental ProtectionTampa, FLTed EzellChairHope For Clean WaterPerry, FLFloridaDan TonsmeireApalachicola RiverKeeperApalachicola, FLJoy Towles-EzellChairEnvironmental of North FloridaPerry, FLLynn Ringenberg, M.D.PresidentPhysicians for Social Responsibility/FloridaTampa, FLKathleen AternoDirectorClean Water Action FloridaBoca Raton, FLKit RaffertyExecutive DirectorSouth Florida Jobs with JusticeMiami, FL5

GeorgiaJennette GayerAdvocateEnvironment GeorgiaAtlanta, GABobby and Jane McLendonPresidentFriends of the ChattahoocheeBlakely, GAJuliet CohenGeneral CounselChattahoochee Riverkeeper (CRK)Atlanta, GADianna WedincampOgeechee RiverkeeperStatesboro, GAAlexis ChaseExecutive DirectorGeorgia Interfaith Power & LightDecatur, GAIdahoShannon Williamson, Ph.D.Executive DirectorLake Pend Oreille WaterkeeperSandpoint, IDIllinoisEllen Rendulich and Carol StarkDirectorsCitizens Against Ruining the EnvironmentLockport, ILKathy AndriaPresidentAmerican Bottom ConservancyEast St. Louis, ILLyman C. WelchWater Quality Program DirectorAlliance for the Great LakesChicago, ILTraci BarkleyWater Resources ScientistPrairie Rivers NetworkChampaign, ILLan R. RichartCo-DirectorEco-Justice CollaborativeChicago, ILCatherine EdmistonChairCitizens Against Longwall MiningMontgomery Co, ILBrian J. SauderCentral Illinois Outreach and PolicyCoordinatorIllinois Interfaith Power and LightChicago, ILKimberly Wasserman NietoExecutive DirectorLittle Village Environmental JusticeOrganizationChicago, ILHoward LearnerExecutive DirectorEnvironmental Law and Policy CenterChicago, ILIndianaRev. Dr. Lyle E. McKeeChairHoosier Interfaith Power & LightIndianapolis, IN6

Jesse KharbandaExecutive DirectorHoosier Environmental CouncilIndianapolis, INKerwin OlsonExecutive DirectorCitizens Action CoalitionIndianapolis, INSteve BonneyPresidentSustainable EarthWest Lafayette, INNicole BarkerExecutive DirectorSave the DunesMichigan City, INJohn BlairPresidentValley Watch, Inc.Evansville, INDavid MaidenbergDirectorSierra Club Hoosier ChapterIndianapolis, INErnie ReedChairHeartwoodGosport, INLucille BertuccioBoard MemberCenter for Sustainable LivingBloomington, INPaul KyselVice PresidentPINES Group (People In Need ofEnvironmental Safety)Pines, INKentuckyDeborah Payne, MPHEnergy and Health CoordinatorKentucky Environmental FoundationBerea, KYTim DarstExecutive DirectorKentucky Interfaith Power & Light, Inc.Louisville, KYSteve BoyceChairpersonKentuckians For The CommonwealthLondon, KYTom FitzGeraldDirectorKentucky Resources CouncilFrankfort, KYPat BanksKentucky RiverkeeperRichmond, KYLouisianaMarylee OrrExecutive DirectorLouisiana Environmental Action Network(LEAN)Baton Rouge, LAPaul OrrRiverkeeperLower Mississippi RiverkeeperBaton Rouge, LAScott Eustis, M.S.Coastal Wetland SpecialistGulf Restoration NetworkNew Orleans, LA7

MaineLaurie Osher, PhDPresidentMaine Interfaith Power and LightPortland, MEKaren A D’AndreaExecutive DirectorPhysicians for Social Responsibility, MaineChapterPortland, MEBecky BartovicsSierra Club MaineCo Chr. Exec CommitteeNorth Haven, MEMarylandHenry S. Cole, Ph.D.PresidentHenry S. Cole & Associates, Inc.Upper Marlboro, MDTheaux M. Le GardeurExec. DirectorRiverkeeperGunpowder RiverkeeperMonkton, MDTina MeyersBaltimore Harbor WaterkeeperBlue Water BaltimoreBaltimore, MDAndrew FellowsChesapeake Bay DirectorClean Water Action MarylandBaltimore, MDFrederick TutmanRiverkeeper/CEOPatuxent RiverkeeperUpper Marlboro, MDDiana Dascalu-JoffeSenior General CounselChesapeake Climate Action NetworkTakoma Park, MDMassachusettsCindy LuppiNew England Direct Citizens for Dixie's FutureHurricane, UTSteve EricksonDirectorCitizens Education ProjectSalt Lake City, UT17