Ga. Lawmakers Consider Some Coal Ash Rules, While Advocates Push For More

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March 2nd, 2021

Coal ash, seen here in swirls on the surface of the Dan River in Danville, Virginia, is a byproduct from burning coal for electricity. Even though both the federal and the state governments have introduced rules in recent years about cleaning it up, there’s still debate in Georgia over the safest way to store it for the long-term.

Gerry Broome / Associated Press

There is an enormous amount of coal ash in Georgia.

More than 89 million cubic feet of it, according to the state Environmental Protection Division. That’s enough to fill up about 6 million dumpsters with the toxic byproduct from burning coal to generate electricity.

Even though both the federal and the state governments have introduced rules in recent years about cleaning it up, there’s still debate in Georgia over the safest way to store it for the long-term.

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