EPA says coal ash not hazardous waste

“This rule is a huge step forward in our effort to protect communities from coal ash storage impoundment failures as well as the improper management and disposal of coal ash in general,” said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, speaking on a conference call with reporters.
The agency first proposed rules governing coal ash storage in 2010, in the wake of a massive spill at a ruptured holding pond in Tennessee that has cost more than $1 billion to clean up. Environmental groups expressed disappointment with the long-anticipated rules, saying they did not go far enough in protecting the environment and human health in areas where coal ash is stored.