Please call your representative TODAY to ask them to vote against HR 1391, a bad bill that limits EPA’s authority to regulate coal ash!
A fortunate delay by the House Energy and Commerce Committee (HECC) gives us another chance to tell our elected officials to back off and let EPA do their job in protecting clean water. The HECC has delayed its full-committee vote on HR 1391, a bill introduced by David McKinley (WV-R) that would prevent EPA from regulating coal ash as a hazardous substance.
The following members are on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and these are the people who most need to hear from us. If any of these people are your Representative, PLEASE make a call.
| Adam | Kinzinger – IL | 202-225-3635 |
| Bobby L. | Rush – IL | 202-225-4372 |
| Janice D. | Schakowsky IL | 202-225-2111 |
| John | Shimkus – IL | 202-225-5271 |
Coal ash is a dangerous by-product of burning coal for energy. Given that nearly half of Illinois’ energy comes from our 22 coal-fired power plants, it is no surprise that our state hosts over 100 coal ash disposal sites. What may be surprising is that coal ash storage and disposal practices have fewer controls than household garbage and have put Illinois communities at risk. In fact, improper management of coal ash in Illinois has earned us the distinction of having more coal ash contamination sites that any other state.
Given the real threats to Illinois citizens and their clean, safe drinking water supplies, we are disappointed with recent votes by several Illinois representatives to limit the ability of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to do their job in protecting clean water. It is important that we tell our elected officials that greater safeguards for public and environmental health are needed and EPA’s responsibilities to do so must be upheld and supported by our elected officials.
The talking points are simple:
- Please vote AGAINST McKinley’s amended bill, HR 1391 and uphold EPA’s obligation to protect human health and the environment in its regulations.
- HR 1391 would derail EPA’s coal ash rulemaking and prevent EPA from adopting science-based regulations to protect health and the environment from coal ash.
- HR 1391 would circumvent the public rulemaking process and throw out the unprecedented 450,000 comments EPA has received on the coal ash rule.
- HR 1391 would threaten EPA’s ability to protect the health and environment of my community and those of other Americans who live around coal ash sites.
- Arguments that a hazardous waste regulation for coal ash would kill recycling are an outrageous smokescreen. Regulation of disposal as a hazardous waste would in fact greatly encourage legitimate recycling of coal ash as such regulation has done for other hazardous wastes.
