Improving Coal Combustion Residuals Regulation Act of 2015
Latest action · Jul 14, 2016 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedApr 13, 2015
- Passed HouseJul 22, 2015
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Improving Coal Combustion Residuals Regulation Act of 2015
(Sec. 2) This bill amends subtitle D (Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976) of the Solid Waste Disposal Act to establish a permit program for coal combustion residuals (coal ash) that states may elect to administer. The program outlines the criteria that a state must use if it chooses to adopt and enforce a permit program regulating the management and disposal of coal ash generated by electric utilities and independent power producers. The program applies to the disposal of coal ash into landfills or surface impoundments, sand or gravel pits, quarries, or lateral expansions of the structures. The structural criteria concern: (1) design, location, and integrity; (2) financial assurance; (3) groundwater and surface water protections; (4) closure procedures; and (5) air quality with respect to fugitive dust.
In order to adopt or implement a permit program, the lead state implementing agency must maintain a program for control of hazardous waste disposal in open dumps or an authorized state hazardous waste program under the Solid Waste Disposal Act. The implementing agency must ensure that certain information concerning the program is publicly available.
A state that chooses to adopt a coal ash program is given sole enforcement authority. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must implement a program for a state if: (1) a state's program fails to meet those criteria, or (2) a state does not implement a program. A coal ash permit program implemented by the EPA shall not apply to the utilization, placement, and storage of coal ash at surface or underground coal mining and reclamation operations.
Certain uses of coal ash are not considered as receipt of such material for purposes of this bill. These include uses for engineered structural fill, storage in a manner consistent with the management of raw materials, and such beneficial uses as substitution for virgin material (in which case the use must be shown to not result in environmental releases greater than those from a material or product that would be used instead of the coal ash or exceed relevant benchmarks for human and ecological receptors).
The bill revises implementation of the EPA rule governing the disposal of coal ash, entitled "Hazardous and Solid Waste Management System; Disposal of Coal Combustion Residuals from Electric Utilities." The rule may be implemented only through the permit program established by the bill.
Recorded votes 6
Newest first. Open one to see how every member voted.
| Roll call | Question | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| House 458 | On Passage | Passed258–166 | Jul 22, 2015 |
| House 457 | On Motion to Recommit with Instructions | Failed184–240 | Jul 22, 2015 |
| House 456 | On Agreeing to the Amendment | Failed180–240 | Jul 22, 2015 |
| House 455 | On Agreeing to the Amendment | Failed192–231 | Jul 22, 2015 |
| House 454 | On Agreeing to the Amendment | Failed177–245 | Jul 22, 2015 |
Cosponsors 44
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Apr 13, 2015 to Jun 3, 2015; 22 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-WV | Alexander X. Mooney | Original | Apr 13, 2015 |
| R-KY | Andy Barr | Original | Apr 13, 2015 |
| D-MS | Bennie G. Thompson | Original | Apr 13, 2015 |
| R-MI | Bill Huizenga | Original | Apr 13, 2015 |
| R-MO | Billy Long | Original | Apr 13, 2015 |
| R-KY | Brett Guthrie | Original | Apr 13, 2015 |
| R-WY | Cynthia M. Lummis | Original | Apr 13, 2015 |
| R-KY | Ed Whitfield | Original | Apr 13, 2015 |
| R-WV | Evan H. Jenkins | Original | Apr 13, 2015 |
| R-MS | Gregg Harper | Original | Apr 13, 2015 |
| R-OH | James B. Renacci | Original | Apr 13, 2015 |
| R-IL | John Shimkus | Original | Apr 13, 2015 |
| R-ND | Kevin Cramer | Original | Apr 13, 2015 |
| R-PA | Lou Barletta | Original | Apr 13, 2015 |
| R-KS | Lynn Jenkins | Original | Apr 13, 2015 |
| R-TN | Marsha Blackburn | Original | Apr 13, 2015 |
| R-PA | Mike Kelly | Original | Apr 13, 2015 |
| R-TX | Pete Olson | Original | Apr 13, 2015 |
| R-IL | Rodney Davis | Original | Apr 13, 2015 |
| D-GA | Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. | Original | Apr 13, 2015 |
| R-PA | Tim Murphy | Original | Apr 13, 2015 |
| R-AZ | Trent Franks | Original | Apr 13, 2015 |
| D-MN | Collin C. Peterson | Apr 14, 2015 | |
| R-IN | Larry Bucshon | Apr 14, 2015 | |
| R-OH | Robert E. Latta | Apr 14, 2015 | |
| R-MN | John Kline | Apr 15, 2015 | |
| R-NY | Peter T. King | Apr 15, 2015 | |
| D-WI | Ron Kind | Apr 15, 2015 | |
| R-MI | Candice S. Miller | Apr 23, 2015 | |
| R-FL | Gus M. Bilirakis | Apr 23, 2015 | |
| R-AR | Steve Womack | Apr 23, 2015 | |
| R-OH | Bill Johnson | Apr 28, 2015 | |
| R-OH | Steve Stivers | Apr 28, 2015 | |
| R-AZ | Paul A. Gosar | Apr 30, 2015 | |
| R-KY | Harold Rogers | May 1, 2015 | |
| R-TN | John J. Duncan, Jr. | May 1, 2015 | |
| R-OH | Bob Gibbs | May 12, 2015 | |
| R-IL | Mike Bost | May 12, 2015 | |
| R-AL | Bradley Byrne | May 14, 2015 | |
| R-AL | Mike Rogers | May 14, 2015 | |
| R-FL | Richard B. Nugent | May 20, 2015 | |
| R-GA | Tom Graves | May 21, 2015 | |
| R-MO | Vicky Hartzler | Jun 2, 2015 | |
| R-TX | Pete Sessions | Jun 3, 2015 |
Committees 2
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| House | Energy and Commerce Committee | Referred Apr 13, 2015Markup Apr 15, 2015Reported Jun 9, 2015 |
| Environment Subcommittee | Referred Apr 17, 2015 | |
| Senate | Environment and Public Works Committee | Referred Jul 14, 2016 |
Actions 35
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Jul 14, 2016Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- Jul 23, 2015Received in the Senate.
- Jul 22, 2015Rule H. Res. 369 passed House.
- Jul 22, 2015Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 369. (consideration: H5358-5380; text as reported CR H5365-5370)
- Jul 22, 2015Resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 1599 and H.R. 1734.
In the Congressional Record 4
Days the Record’s own index lists this bill, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.
| Where | In the Record | Members | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| House · Extensions | Debate and remarks E1169, H5601 | Earl Blumenauer D-OR, Glenn Thompson R-PA | Jul 29, 2015 |
| House | Debate and remarks H5341, H5345–H5357, H5358–H5380Text printed H5345, H5365–H5370Amendments H5355, H5370, H5371, H5372, H5373, H5374Motions H5378Recorded votes H5355, H5356, H5376, H5377, H5378, H5379, H5380Adams amendment (require coal ash dams owners and operators identify drinking water supply wells and provide an alternate water supply if drinking water becomes contaminated)Butterfield amendment (ensure coal ash storage requirements protect vulnerable populations)Connolly amendment (require all inactive surface impoundments that begin closure procedures to follow groundwater monitoring safeguards)consideration (H. Res. 369), previous questionenactFoster motion to recommit (require coal ash impoundments be sufficient to prevent toxic contamination of groundwater and sources of drinking water including the Great Lakes) | Alexander X. Mooney R-WV, Alma S. Adams D-NC (amendment), Bill Foster D-IL (motion), Bonnie Watson Coleman D-NJ, Bradley Byrne R-AL, David B. McKinley R-WV, David E. Price D-NC, Evan H. Jenkins R-WV, Frank Pallone, Jr. D-NJ (amendment), Fred Upton R-MI, G. K. Butterfield D-NC (amendment), Gene Green D-TX, Gerald E. Connolly D-VA (amendment), Gus M. Bilirakis R-FL, James P. McGovern D-MA (amendment), John Conyers, Jr. D-MI, John Shimkus R-IL (amendment), Kathy Castor D-FL (amendment), Kevin Cramer R-ND, Larry Bucshon R-IN, Paul Tonko D-NY, Yvette D. Clarke D-NY | Jul 22, 2015 |
| House | Declaratory Statements H5333 | — | Jul 21, 2015 |
| House | Debate and remarks H5284 | Kevin McCarthy R-CA | Jul 16, 2015 |
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
Committee report
Congressional Budget Office cost estimate
- Apr 29, 2015H.R. 1734, Improving Coal Combustion Residuals Regulation Act of 2015As ordered reported by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on April 15, 2015
Constitutional authority
The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the Congressional Record, vol. 161, no. 52, April 13, 2015, page H2153.
Printed hearings 3
Hearings whose printed record names this bill, newest first: hearings on it, and wider hearings where it came up.
| Number | Hearing | Committee | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serial No. 114-116 | VACANT FEDERAL PROPERTIES113 pages | Oversight and Government Reform Committee | Sep 23, 2016 |
| — | DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2017309 pages | Appropriations Committee | Mar 18, 2016 |
| S. Hrg. 114-57 | OVERSIGHT OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY'S FINAL RULE TO REGULATE DISPOSAL OF COAL COMBUSTION RESIDUALS FROM ELECTRIC UTILITIES220 pages | Environment and Public Works Committee | Jun 17, 2015 |
Amendments 6
Amendments offered to this bill.
Related bills 4
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
Titles 4
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- To amend subtitle D of the Solid Waste Disposal Act to encourage recovery and beneficial use of coal combustion residuals and establish requirements for the proper management and disposal of coal combustion residuals that are protective of human health and the environment.
- Short Titles as Introduced
- Improving Coal Combustion Residuals Regulation Act of 2015
- Short Titles as Reported to House
- Improving Coal Combustion Residuals Regulation Act of 2015
- Short Titles as Passed House
- Improving Coal Combustion Residuals Regulation Act of 2015
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Environmental Protection.
- Administrative law and regulatory procedures
- Air quality
- Building construction
- Coal
- Electric power generation and transmission
- Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
- Environmental Protection
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
- Environmental regulatory procedures
- Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
- Intergovernmental relations
- Licensing and registrations
- Soil pollution
- Solid waste and recycling
- State and local government operations
- Water quality
Text 5
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Jul 14, 2016Referred in Senate
- Jul 23, 2015Received in Senate
- Jul 22, 2015Engrossed in House
- Jun 9, 2015Reported in House
- Apr 13, 2015Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.
