Today the EPA issued a new federal decision designating coal ash as non-hazardous material, and to leaving decisions on how to enforce new standards for disposal to the states. In North Dakota, we understand the value of our resources – and we work hard to make them count. That’s why I’ve been pushing our federal agencies not to overregulate materials that we have used safely in construction projects for years – like coal ash – by making it clear that these materials are not hazardous and that the federal government trusts our states to make responsible decisions when it comes to disposing or recycling this material. I’ve been making this point to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy for a long time now – both before she was confirmed as administrator, and when I brought her to North Dakota last winter – and I’m glad to see that her agency took our state’s needs to heart. As we continue to look at the details of these new standards to fully understand how they will impact North Dakota, I’ll keep seeking input from our utilities, construction industry, and environmental representatives throughout our state to make sure we provide as much certainty for them as possible, while maintaining the proper safeguards to make sure coal ash is managed in a safe and responsible way.
Posted on: Fri, 19 Dec 2014 23:09:39 +0000
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