Trump Administration Guts Virginians’ Health Protections to Bolster Big Coal

RICHMOND, VA. - Today, Donald Trump's administration took direct aim at the health and lives of hundreds of American communities, announcing plans to gut critical protections against deadly coal ash pollution - one of the most toxic industrial waste streams in the country.

Coal ash contains a toxic brew of mercury, cadmium, chromium, and arsenic, which can cause cancer, neurological damage, and various other serious illnesses.

In 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency finally established the nation's first-ever coal ash pollution standards, implementing long overdue protections for communities against toxic coal ash in their water. In 2024, the EPA built on that foundation, closing loopholes and strengthening safeguards for the most vulnerable communities. Today's announcement erases more than a decade of progress, leaving millions of Americans - including several Virginia communities - exposed to preventable, life-threatening harm.

"Coal ash is a dangerous contaminant, wreaking havoc on our air, water, and soil. Its health impacts reach every major organ system in the human body," said Mary-Stuart Torbeck, Virginia's Beyond Coal Campaign Senior Organizer. "Weakening standards and delayed deadlines, like the Trump administration proposes, do not protect local community members. They protect corporate polluters. Big coal must be held responsible for cleaning up the mess they have created and disposed of in Virginians' backyards. We will continue to fight for the maintenance of strong coal ash protections that prioritize public health and local safety."

Virginia has been impacted by coal ash pollution for far too long. At multiple sites across the commonwealth, coal ash has severely contaminated ground water and damaged ecosystems.

At the Possum Point Power Station in Prince William County, three coal ash ponds leaked contaminated wastewater into nearby Quantico Creek, and another two ponds EPA historically rated as "significant hazards" - meaning pond failure would cause economic loss and environmental damage - contaminated groundwater with cadmium and nickel.

Virginia is also home to the second largest coal ash spill in US history. The disaster on the Dan River revealed the vulnerability of Virginia citizens. While most of the post-spill media coverage focused on North Carolina, Virginia communities suffered the majority of the harm from the 2014 spill. 39,000 tons of toxic ash and 24 million gallons of wastewater were released, yet Duke Energy removed only 2,500 tons of ash, leaving over 90 percent of the coal ash in Virginia waters.

"It should come as no surprise that Donald Trump and his administration will sacrifice the health of Americans in order to line the pockets of corporate polluters. Today's proposal doesn't even try to hide the fact that it's an explicit handout to Big Coal," said Sierra Club Senior Attorney Bridget Lee. "Coal ash pollution has already cut too many American lives short. Our government should be strengthening safeguards against this toxic threat; instead, Donald Trump and Lee Zeldin are taking a sledgehammer to them. We will fight back against this reckless and illegal move and work to deliver a healthier future for the people who drink the water and breathe the air near coal ash dumps."