COAL COMBUSTION RESIDUE
This page of the Post Oak Savanah GCD (POSGCD) website is dedicated to an effort of transparency and public disclosure of coal burning plants in the state of Texas.
Coal Combustion Residue
In January 2019, the non-profit organization Environmental Integrity Project (EIP) published a report that was brought to our attention called Groundwater Contamination from Texas Coal Ash Dumps analyzing the environmental impact of coal ash disposal from power plants in Texas. EIP gathered information from several sources to study groundwater contamination, including groundwater monitoring data from coal ash disposal sites as required by the 2015 Coal Ash Rule, as well as other publicly available documents. Some of these documents are available on this page for easy access.
The Alcoa landfill site is under the jurisdiction of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), which oversees closed landfills and related groundwater monitoring to ensure compliance with state and federal regulations. Groundwater monitoring at this site is conducted by a third party and reported to TCEQ annually (2024).
- EPA Reports on SLR CCR Reports: Access EPA reports and documentation related to SLR properties, including the AX Landfill. Access EPA reports here.
- TCEQ Groundwater Contamination Viewer: Search for TCEQ contamination cases in your area. Access the site here.
- TCEQ Records Search: Search for TCEQ reports related to specific sites using IDs ALCOA: 30132 and SLR: 88209. Access TCEQ records here.
- Luminant CCR Site: Provides investigation history, groundwater quality monitoring, and actions between 2015 and 2022, when the CCR Rule was enacted through the sale of the property in 2022. Access the site here.
The process to follow, as well as additional information is contained in these documents and links. Although POSGCD technically has no regulatory oversight in these submissions and matters, the Board of the District desires to take a pro-active approach to ensuring that all requirements of reporting and necessary remedies are followed by the coal burning plants with respect to protection of water quality in the aquifers of Milam and Burleson Counties. To that end, POSGCD staff has met with TCEQ staff and attorneys as well as management of Luminant to better understand the process and procedures, as well as to ascertain the current status of these issues in our District.
The POSGCD Board and DFC Committee have received updates and reports from District geoscientists and engineering consultants with Intera at meetings, which can be found here or on the website’s Agendas & Minutes page.
- March 19, 2019 – CCR Report to DFC Committee, Intera
- June 6, 2019 – CCR Report to Board of Directors, Intera
- June 11, 2024 – Update on TCEQ Management of Waste Units Located on SLR Properties, Intera
- TCEQ Technical Guideline No. 30 – Coal Combustion Residuals Landfill
- TCEQ Technical Guideline No. 30 – Coal Combustion Residuals Groundwater Monitoring and Corrective Action
POSGCD Staff will continue to update this page as pertinent information becomes available.
Timeline of Federal Regulations regarding Coal Combustion Residuals (CCRs)
- Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (1976): Authorized the EPA to regulate a wide variety of solid and hazardous wastes, including coal ash, ensuring the protection of human health and the environment.
- April 2015 – Coal Ash Rule (the “CCR Rule”): Established comprehensive national standards for the disposal of coal combustion residuals (CCR), mandating groundwater monitoring and the closure of unlined coal ash ponds if contamination is detected. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2015-04-17/pdf/2015-00257.pdf
- July 2018 – Amendments to the National Minimum Criteria: Updated the 2015 rule, adjusting criteria to enhance the safety and management of coal ash disposal sites. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2018-07-30/pdf/2018-16262.pdf
- August 2018 – Utility Solid Waste Activities Group v. EPA: A court case that resulted in changes to the 2015 Coal Ash Rule, mandating stricter regulations and enforcement. https://www.cadc.uscourts.gov/internet/opinions.nsf/0/5A6D02C8038BA2CA852582F0004E0D37/$file/15-1219-1746578.pdf
- November 2020 – Part B: Alternate Demonstration for Unlined Surface Impoundments: Allowed for alternative methods to demonstrate the safety of unlined coal ash impoundments, providing flexibility while maintaining environmental protections. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-11-12/pdf/2020-23327.pdf
- May 2024 – Legacy CCR Surface Impoundments: Addressed the management and closure of older coal ash impoundments, ensuring they meet current safety standards to prevent environmental contamination. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-05-08/pdf/2024-09157.pdf