Coal ash is the material left after burning coal.

It contains heavy metals that contaminate water. Indiana has been producing millions of tons of coal ash per year for decades, much of which is stored in the floodplains of rivers or Lake Michigan.

July 2023 – Indiana Coalition Weighs in on Rule Updates

July 17, 2023, HEC and six partner organizations submitted comments to the EPA about its proposal to update the federal coal ash rule (the Coal Combustion Residuals Rule or CCR Rule). EPA published its proposed changes to the rule in May, and a 60-day public comment period followed.  Many Indiana citizens and organizations, including HEC, testified for EPA at its in-person and online hearings.  In the written comments and testimony, we 

  • Supported EPA’s proposal to close loopholes so millions more tons of coal ash will be cleaned up 
  • Urged EPA to strengthen requirements that protect people and water from coal ash 
  • Urged EPA to fully enforce the coal ash rule to ensure that cleanups happen. 

Indiana is entirely dependent on the federal coal ash rule. During the 2023 legislative session, the Indiana General Assembly passed HEC 1623 which prohibits our state from having any requirements for coal ash other than what is in the federal rule. 

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2020 – Report Shows Indiana Lags Far Behind in Coal Ash Cleanup

In 2014 the Hoosier Environmental Council published Our Waters at Risk about the impact of coal ash on Indiana’s water resources. In the years that followed, a good deal more information became public. Read HEC’s 2020 report, which updates what is known about coal ash and Indiana’s water resources.

Download executive summary of Our Waters at Risk Park 2

The Hoosier Environmental Council’s work on coal ash receives generous support from the Energy Foundation, the Herbert Simon Family Foundation, the McKinney Family Foundation, and the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.