Dive Summary:

• The bill, which is sponsored by 12 Democrats and 12 Republicans, will grant states the ability to permit programs for coal ash impoundments and put an emphasis on the construction benefits of recycling the substance.
• Senator Kent Conrad, one of the measure’s chief sponsors, said that the bill “would ensure that coal-fired power plants can continue operating efficiently and providing affordable electricity to consumers.”
• The Environmental Protection Agency announced in June 2010 that it might consider regulating coal ash as hazardous waste, something this bill aims to debunk.

From the article:

A bill co-sponsored by 12 Democrats and 12 Republicans gives states a new role in setting up permitting programs for coal ash impoundments, while emphasizing recycled coal ash’s beneficial use as a construction material.

The legislation also would prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from classifying coal ash as a hazardous waste. Co-ops have opposed that designation, saying it would improperly subject it to federal hazardous waste management requirements for the first time. ...