Peace Garden News

BISMARCK – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, announced the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded $617,648 to the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality (NDDEQ) to support the application or implementation of an EPA-approved state program for the control of coal combustion residuals (CCR).

The CCR program will support database improvements for the ND Solid Waste Program and establish an online portal to allow CCR facilities to submit required documents such as permit applications, demonstrations of location standards, documentation required under the design criteria, operating criteria, groundwater, monitoring and corrective action, closure and post-closure care, and retrofit criteria. A small portion of the grant funds will also be used for technical assistance to train NDDEQ staff on CCR regulations during program implementation.

Background:

CCRs consist of solid byproducts from coal-based power plants, such as fly ash, bottom ash, boiler slag, and flue gas desulfurization (FGD) solids (e.g., synthetic gypsum). The Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act, signed into law on December 16, 2016, included provisions supported by then-Congressman Cramer to direct the EPA to approve state primacy programs regulating CCRs in states choosing to apply.

Original source can be found here.