(NASDAQ 7-10-2010) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released a major set of power-plant air-pollution rules this week, but even more far- reaching regulations are in the works.
 
Within the next several months, the EPA is expected to develop new rules to reduce mercury and hazardous air pollutants, while also creating standards for coal ash.
 
"This regulatory train wreck will have a big impact on the power sector," said Dan Riedinger, a spokesman for the Edison Electric Institute.
 

(Milwaukee News 7-2-2010) New regulations for the disposing of coal ash proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency are likely to increase costs for utilities in Wisconsin, which are particularly dependent on coal – and those costs are expected to be passed on to consumers. The regulations may also make it more difficult for Milwaukee’s utility, WE Energies, to sell the ash, which is a byproduct of the coal burning process. It’s successfully marketed this waste product to concrete, cement and wallboard manufacturers.
 

(Concrete Products 6-21-2010) In the June 21 Federal Register, EPA formally proposes a rule maintaining provisions for beneficial use of fly ash in concrete and other construction materials, but significantly tightening existing regulations’ treatment of nonconstruction-grade coal ash. The notice, “Management System; Identification and Listing of Special Wastes; Disposal of Coal Combustion Residuals [CCR] From Electric Utilities," opens a public comment period through September 20.
 

(EPA 5-19-2010) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing action plans developed by 16 electric utility facilities with coal ash impoundments, describing the measures the facilities are taking to make their impoundments safer. The action plans are a response to EPA’s final assessment reports on the structural integrity of these impoundments that the agency made public this February.