This morning, the House passed legislation (H.R. 2218, the Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act) that takes the authority to regulate coal ash away from the EPA and gives it to the states.
What's coal ash? Here's an overview from the Sierra Club as well as a link to a map of coal ash waste sites across the country:
Coal ash is a dangerous by-product of burning coal for energy, containing harmful metals and chemicals like arsenic, lead, and selenium.
Coal ash is not subject to federal regulation, and state laws governing coal combustion waste disposal are usually weak or non-existent.
Across the country, millions of tons of coal ash are being stored in ponds, landfills and abandoned mines. Many of these sites lack adequate safeguards leaving nearby communities at risk from potential large scale disasters, like the massive coal ash spill in Tennessee, and from gradual yet equally dangerous contamination as coal ash toxins seep into drinking water sources.
You can learn more on the
Physicians for Social Responsibility website or from recent
reporting on the Maddow Show.
The EPA has been hedging on coal ash regulations throughout the Obama administration, likely because of industry pressure. However, independent studies have proven that coal ash regulation--like many other EPA regulations--would create jobs.
Even though the EPA has been slow, whom would you trust more to regulate coal ash: coal states like WY and WV or the EPA?
Henry Waxman (CA-33) and Paul Tonko both offered amendments to improve the legislation and protect public health and the environment.
Henry Waxman offered an amendment to require assurances that state permit programs protect human health and the environment.
Waxman's amendment failed 185 to 231 on a largely party line vote. Two Republicans defected and supported the amendment. Eight Democrats defected and opposed it.
The two Republican supporters were Chris Gibson (NY-19) and Chris Smith (NJ-04).
The 8 Democratic supporters were Ron Barber (AZ-02), Sanford Bishop (GA-02), Jim Costa (CA-16), Ron Kind (WI-03), Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-01), Bill Owens (NY-21), Collin Peterson (MN-07), and Krysten Sinema (AZ-09). My, my, are our three freshmen from Arizona racking up the awful votes!
Paul Tonko (NY-20) offered an amendment to allow the EPA to find state coal ash plans deficient if they threaten human health or the environment. This failed 176 to 239. Only 1 Republican (Chris Gibson) supported it. 16 Democrats opposed it.
Ron Barber (AZ-02)
John Barrow (GA-12)
Sanford Bishop (GA-02)
Jim Costa (CA-16)
Henry Cuellar (TX-28)
Marcia Fudge (OH-11)
Gene Green (TX-29)
Ron Kind (WI-03)
Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-01)
Jim Matheson (UT-04)
Bill Owens (NY-21)
Collin Peterson (MN-07)
Nick Rahall (WV-03)
Krysten Sinema (AZ-09)
Filemon Vela (TX-34)
Peter Visclosky (IN-01)
The final legislation passed 265 to 155. Only two Republicans (Tom Petri of WI-06 and Frank Wolf of VA-10) voted against it. 39 Democrats defected from the party line and voted for it.
Who were these 39 Democrats?
Ron Barber (AZ-02)
John Barrow (GA-12)
Joyce Beatty (OH-03)
Sanford Bishop (GA-02)
Bob Brady (PA-01)
Cheri Bustos (IL-17)
Lacy Clay (MO-01)
James Clyburn (SC-06)
Jim Costa (CA-16)
Henry Cuellar (TX-28)
Danny Davis (IL-07)
Mike Doyle (PA-14)
Bill Enyart (IL-12)
Marcia Fudge (OH-11)
Pete Gallego (TX-23)
Gene Green (TX-29)
Marcy Kaptur (OH-09)
Ron Kind (WI-03)
Ann Kirkpatrick (AZ-01)
Dave Loebsack (IA-02)
Sean Maloney (NY-18)
Jim Matheson (UT-04)
Mike McIntyre (NC-07)
Gwen Moore (WI-04)
Rick Nolan (MN-08)
Bill Owens (NY-21)
Ed Pastor (AZ-07)
Ed Perlmutter (CO-07)
Collin Peterson (MN-07)
Nick Rahall (WV-03)
Cedric Richmond (LA-02)
Tim Ryan (OH-13)
Kurt Schrader (OR-05)
David Scott (GA-13)
Bennie Thompson (MS-02)
Filemon Vela (TX-34)
Juan Vargas (CA-51)
Peter Visclosky (IN-01)
Tim Walz (MN-01)
Bob Brady is my representative. Last I checked, we don't have coal mines populating the city of Philadelphia, so his office will hear from me later today. Brady, who tends to vote with the CPC, has had bad environmental votes over the past few years, like his prior support for Keystone XL.