Make Your Voice Heard on Coal Ash Pollution-
Call Your Senators Today!



Coal ash is the toxic by-product of coal-fired power plants and is filled with dangerous heavy metals, such as mercury and arsenic.

Many high-hazard coal ash dams dot the Appalachian region including twelve in North Carolina, two in Tennessee, four in West Virginia, and seven in Kentucky.

Dam failure isn’t the only danger – many ponds are known to be leaching into groundwater as well.

S.1751 would prevent the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from providing minimum scientific standards, leaving the regulation of these dangerous dams to often cash-strapped and overburdened state agencies.

Make your voice heard: ask your Senators to oppose S. 1751 and any other efforts that would prevent the EPA from protecting our water from arsenic and other pollutants found in coal ash.

Please let us know you called by filling out the feedback form in the right-hand column below.


Step 1 – Find your Senators.

Step 2 – Make the call. Ask to speak to the Environmental Legislative Aide.

Say why clean water is important to you. Speak from the heart but be sure to be polite. Here is a sample script to get you started.

Hello, my name is ______________ and I live in ______________ . I’m calling to urge Senator _________ to oppose Senate Bill 1751, and allow the EPA to develop scientific guidelines for coal ash disposal.

There are dozens of high-hazard coal ash dams across the country that would most likely result in the loss of human life should one fail. Additionally, many coal ash dams are known to be leaching into groundwater supplies.

Do you know where Senator _______________ stands on Senate Bill 1751?

LISTEN TO THEIR RESPONSE AND REPORT BACK USING THE FORM ON THE RIGHT.

ADDITIONAL POINTS

  • S.1751 endangers the health and safety of thousands of communities by preventing the EPA from ever revisiting a federal coal ash rule, even if future evidence shows that coal ash poses an even greater threat.
  • S.1751 would allow the construction of coal ash dumps that don’t meet current drinking water standards for arsenic, lead and other pollutants.
  • S.1751 will cost American jobs: A recent study by a Tufts University senior economist found that strong coal ash regulations, such as those proposed by the EPA in 2010, would generate 28,000 jobs annually.
  • Currently, the cheapest method of coal ash disposal is ponds. Coal ash cannot be recycled once it is wet. S.1751 will prevent the recycling of coal ash by permitting the construction of new containment ponds.
  • S.1751 fails to address the current threats. The bill will not phase out dangerous coal ash ponds or prevent another tragedy like the 2008 coal ash spill in Tennessee.
  • Living near unlined coal ash ponds increases the likelihood of developing cancer to 1 in 50 – 2,000 times greater than acceptable risk levels
Step 3 – Letting us know what your Senator said is some of the most important and useful information we can acquire.