If North Dakota Coal Ash is Deemed a Hazardous Waste - Hazwoper 40 Hour Courses Will Be Required for All Contact Workers

BISMARCK, N.D.

The black, powdery substance that is normally a bloody mess to most everyone, is a prime source of concrete replacement, for the construction industry. In the state of North Dakota where coal ash is collected from the Great River Energy's Coal Creek electric power station near Underwood and shipped all over the United States, there is an issue. The issue at hand is one that threatens to make all of the construction workers, or anyone else that handles this black stuff, wear a moon suit. Yes, that’s right, the simple coal ash that has been dealt out in tons and as a fine concrete replacement can soon be labeled a hazardous waste, if ND Senator Hoeven has his way.

Conrad Thune Hoeven

The great state of North Dakota has a team of politicians that are; Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., and Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., that are among the measure's sponsors. Hoeven held a news conference Tuesday to promote the legislation in a Bismarck State College building that was built from cement that included coal ash. If these politicians have their way, it will be a windfall for the sites that offer Hazwoper 40 hour courses.

EPA Involvement

The federal Environmental Protection Agency is considering a proposed rule that would classify the ash as hazardous waste, which would increase the cost of disposing of it. North Dakota does not have a landfill that takes hazardous waste, said Steve Tillotson, assistant director of the North Dakota Health Department's waste management division.

Environmental Opposition

Environmental groups oppose Hoeven's measure, saying that tougher disposal standards for coal ash are needed because the ash contains lead, mercury, cadmium and other heavy metals. A catastrophic December 2008 spill from a coal ash disposal pond in eastern Tennessee gave supporters of stronger rules a fresh argument that they were needed.

Regulation of Coal Ash

Hoeven said his bill would allow states to regulate coal ash disposal and recycling if they followed federal solid waste standards. States that do not want to administer their own programs could rely on the EPA to do so, Hoeven said.

ND Coal Industry Supports Regulation

North Dakota's coal industry is supporting Hoeven's proposal. The state has seven coal-fueled electric power plants and a factory that produces synthetic natural gas from lignite coal. The state's lignite mines in west-central North Dakota produce close to 30 million tons of fuel annually.

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