Legislative Committee Recommends Use of Fly Ash
Tuesday, February 10th, 2004by Bruce Golden, Regional Coordinator
Pennsylvania’s Joint Legislative Air And Water Pollution Control And Conservation Committee has issued its report on a proposed moratorium on the use of fly ash in mine reclamation projects. The Committee made a number of recommendations, the most significant of which follows:
The Committee does not recommend or support a statewide moratorium on the use of fly ash in coal mine reclamation projects as requested in the public hearing on July 9, 2003. The beneficial use of coal ash, including mine reclamation, has been well documented and the potential risks have been thoroughly examined and these results have been reported to local, state and federal agencies. The Committee has researched data from a dozen sites in Pennsylvania and found that coal ash can be effectively and safely used when properly managed. The information also demonstrates the significant economic and environmental benefits coal ash plays in the reclamation activities in the Commonwealth.
A number of other recommendations were made including: continuing research into the effects of coal ash placement; third party oversight of reclamation projects; studying the effects of not reclaiming hazards and threats posed by the legacy of past mining practices; and providing public education on the beneficial use of coal combustion waste products.
The report is not without its critics, who cite the possibility of increased water contamination.