State Legislative Campaign
Photo by Matthew Kaplan
Indiana has more coal ash waste pits than any other state - a total of 86 sites (active and inactive), the majority of which are unlined and located next to a water source. Indiana also has the worst water pollution in the country. In Indiana, almost every coal ash waste site is leaching chemicals into surface waters and groundwater.
In early 2022, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it would enforce regulations to require coal-burning plants across the country to clean up their coal ash waste. These regulations, first established in 2015 under then-President Obama, were rolled back during the Trump administration.
Due to the passage of Senate Bill 271 in the 2021 session, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) is now in charge of the rule-making process, allowing the agency to preside over all coal ash permits at the state level instead of the EPA. The agency has exhibited a failed track record on environmental issues following decades of budgetary cuts. IDEM has approved numerous closure-in-place plans by the state’s investor-owned electric utility companies, leaving open a legacy of coal ash contamination for Indiana.
The Economic Benefits of Coal Ash Clean Closure
Average annual TOTAL JOBS for coal ash closure alternatives at the three coal plant sites. See details.
Average ANNUAL INCOME ($m) generated for coal ash closure alternatives at the three coal plant sites. See details.
Let Indiana Legislators know the economic benefits of complete cleanup and removal of toxic coal ash waste are proven. Clean closures can result in 2 to 7.5 times greater positive economic impacts for each community over the cap or leave-in-place alternative.
What You Can Do
There are still ways to take action to ensure this issue stays at the public forefront in Indiana!
Over the past state sessions, we have worked with our state legislators and supported legislation to tackle the coal ash crisis: House Bill 1190 and Senate Bill 399 in 2023; House Bill 1335 and Senate Bill 412 in 2022; and House Bill 1469 and Senate Bill 367 in 2021.
Contact your State Representative and Senator and ask for their support to take action on coal ash in Indiana!