Rep. Hank Johnson: Georgians Near Coal Ash Dumps Face Toxic Risk
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Georgia Congressman Hank Johnson says he wants to tighten regulations on coal ash, a byproduct from burning coal for electricity that can contain toxic materials, including arsenic and mercury. Coal ash can also be reused in products like wallboard and concrete.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has said it’s safe to store it in municipal landfills, but Johnson said he’d like to see that decision changed.
“These municipal solid waste landfills are located in areas where poor people live, where African-Americans live,” said Johnson. “And so we would be the ones to suffer the most pronounced health impacts.”
Johnson said he plans to introduce legislation on coal ash in the next few weeks. Earlier this month, he sent a letter to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, expressing his concern about where and how coal ash is stored.
Residents of Wayne County have been fighting a plan to bring coal ash by rail to their landfill, which is operated by a private company. Johnson said he expects that issue to come up more frequently as power plants close their coal ash ponds and look to move the material offsite.
Georgia Power has said it intends to close all of its coal ash ponds, but it has not released details on its plans.
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