EPA has announced a new initiative to reduce toxic pollutants including mercury, arsenic, lead and selenium that are released into waterways by local ash, air pollution control waste and other waste from steam electric power plants.  In accordance with a consent decree and in line with requirements under the Clean Water Act, the U.S. EPA is proposing a range of options outlining whether and how these different waste streams should be treated.

According to EPA, steam electric power plants currently account for more than half of all toxic pollutants discharged into streams, rivers and lakes from permitted industrial facilities.  The proposal updates standards that have been in place since 1982, incorporating technology improvements in the steam electric power industry over the last three decades.  The proposed rule would establish new or additional requirements for wastewater streams from processes and byproducts associated with steam electric power generation including: flue gas desulfurization, fly ash, bottom ash, flue gas mercury control, and gasification of fuels such as coal and petroleum coke.  These new requirements for existing power plants would be phased in between 2017 and 2022.  EPA intends to align this Clean Water Act rule with a related rule for coal combustion residuals proposed in 2010 under RCRA.  The two rules would apply to many of the same facilities and would work together to reduce pollution associated with coal ash and related wastes.

The public comment period on the proposed rule will be open for 60 days after publication in the Federal Register.  The agency is under consent decree to take final action by May 22, 2014.

Please visit the following page for the Proposed Effluent Guidelines for the Steam Electric Power Generating Category.   http://http://water.epa.gov/scitech/wastetech/guide/steam-electric/index.cfm