by Caryn Miske, Montana Chapter Director, Sierra Club, Frenchtown
Recently, the Trump administration proposed rolling back coal ash rules and cleanup regulations.
Coal ash is laden with lead, mercury and arsenic and requires monitoring and clean up to keep communities safe from serious water contamination. The proposed rule would strip over 100 dump sites from regulations, which would allow corporations to avoid costs that inevitably fall on taxpayers and healthcare bills. This move follows dozens of unprecedented actions by the Trump administration to attempt to bolster the failing coal industry while attacking renewable energy – climate, affordability and public health be damned.
Just like the debate over Sheep Creek, Montanans don’t want heavy metals to leach into their water just so corporations profit more. You can tell EPA “NO” at upcoming public hearings found on their website here: www.epa.gov/coal-combustion-residuals/2026-proposed-amendments-coal-combustion-residuals-regulations.
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