Feds may greenlight AL coal ash plan
- Aug 1
- 1 min read
July 16, 2026
By Kyle Hamrick. Lagnaippe Mobile
Alabama’s plan for keeping toxic coal ash reservoirs near the Mobile River and in other sensitive ecosystems around the state could be approved by federal regulators, which would represent a 180-degree change in the position taken just a few years ago. In the Federal Register on Tuesday, July 14, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced its plans to approve the Alabama Department of Environmental Management’s
(ADEM) regulations for coal combustion residuals, more commonly known as coal ash. Coal ash, a byproduct of hydroelectric power generation, can contaminate groundwater with
harmful chemicals.
