By Rick Howlett
Louisville, KY – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency held a public hearing in Louisville today on the proposed federal regulation of coal ash. The substance, a byproduct of burning coal, is currently regulated by states. Among those testifying against the tougher rules was longtime coal industry worker Bill Disney. He says too much regulation will derail efforts to recycle coal ash.
"The fact remains that the coal industry is safer than ever, the air in Kentucky is cleaner than any other time in our lifetime. The thinly veiled attacks on the fossil fuels industry are not based on science."
Environmental groups say coal ash, which contains toxic heavy metals, is a public health hazard that needs to be placed under stricter controls. The daylong hearing is the seventh to be held across the country. The eighth and final hearing will be held in Knoxville, Tennessee, near the site of a massive coal waste spill two years ago.