Report shows lack of limits on toxic coal ash water pollution discharges from coal-fired power plants
Closing the Floodgates is a comprehensive survey of Clean Water Act discharge permits for coal-fired power plants across the United States. The report illustrates that, in spite of the fact that these plants dump more toxic water pollution than the next nine most polluting industries combined, over 70% of their discharge permits do not limit the amount of toxic pollutants these plants may discharge to our waters. The data in Closing the Floodgates makes a powerful case for the adoption of strong federal limits on toxic coal ash water pollution discharges.
Closing the Floodgates is a joint report by Waterkeeper Alliance, Environmental Integrity Project, Clean Water Action, Earth Justice, Beyond Coal, and Sierra Club published in 2013.
About the sponsoring organizations:
THE ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRITY PROJECT (EIP) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to the enforcement of the nation’s anti-pollution laws and the prevention of political interference with those laws. The EIP provides objective analysis of how the failure to enforce or implement environmental laws increases pollution and harms public health, and helps local communities obtain the protection of environmental laws.
THE SIERRA CLUB is the nation’s oldest and largest grassroots environmental group, with 2.1 million members and supporters. The Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign works to address the pressing public health threat from coal-fired power plants and toward clean energy.
CLEAN WATER ACTION is a one-million member organization of diverse people and groups joined together to protect our environment, health, economic well-being, and community quality of life. Its goals include clean, safe and affordable water; prevention of health threatening pollution; creation of environmentally safe jobs and businesses; and empowerment of people to make democracy work. Clean Water Action organizes strong grassroots groups and coalitions and campaigns to elect environmental candidates and solve environmental and community problems.
EARTHJUSTICE is a non-profit public interest law organization dedicated to protecting the magnificent places, natural resources, and wildlife of this earth, and to defending the right of all people to a healthy environment.
WATERKEEPER ALLIANCE was founded in 1999 by environmental attorney and activist Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and several veteran Waterkeeper Organizations. It is a global movement of on-the-water advocates who patrol and protect more than 100,000 miles of rivers, streams, and coastlines in North and South America, Europe, Australia, Asia, and Africa. Waterkeeper Organizations combine firsthand knowledge of their waterways with an unwavering commitment to the rights of their communities and to the rule of law.