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Publications by Sierra Club

Comments on EPA's Revised Pollution Standards for Power Plants, May 2023

Coal plants have gotten a free pass to dump millions of pounds of toxic metals, nutrients, chlorides, bromide, and other pollutants into our nation’s waters for over 40 years. t is long past time these power plants treat all of their wastewater using modern and effective pollution control technologies, as required by the Clean Water Act. It is long past time these power plants treat all of their wastewater using modern and effective pollution control technologies, as required by the Clean Water Act.

Closing the Floodgates

Coal-fired power plants are the largest source of toxic water pollution in the United States, dumping billions of pounds of pollution into America’s rivers, lakes, and streams each year. These pollutants, including lead and mercury, are dangerous to humans and wreak havoc in our watersheds even in very small amounts. It’s time for power plants to stop using our rivers, lakes and streams as open sewers to dump their waste!