We need to recognize that coal plant waste disposal facilities are huge, barely regulated toxic waste dumps. Some of the dumps are nothing more than strip mine pits and where they pollute the groundwater we depend on for drinking and agriculture. The power industry has been poisoning America's heartland for years, not only with air pollution but also with toxic waste.
The EPA clearly needs to regulate coal combustion waste under RCRA and listing it as a hazardous waste due to
1) toxic heavy metals (arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, selenium plus other metals),
2) dioxins,
3) other cancer-causing organic compounds that are products of incomplete combustion, and
4) low levels of radionuclides. EPA has avoided doing this so far. No solid waste liners or any leachate monitoring are currently required, which is scandalous since ground water contamination can and is occurring.
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