Potential institutional conflicts in the implementation of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and their impacts on the Department of Energy: a case study

Technical Report · Thu Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1979

OSTI ID:6141053

Carnes, S; Tevepaugh, C; Young, G; DeVault, R C

Impacts of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) of 1976 on two coal-fired generating plants and their operations were studied by reviewing relevant characteristics of the plants, their host communities, and their host states. The two plants, which are privately owned but whose power is committed to the DOE's Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, are Clifty Creek Power Plant in Indiana and Kyger Creek Power Plant in Ohio. Assuming that ponding is an acceptable means of ash disposal, Clifty Creek should not be greatly impacted by RCRA unless local interests are concerned with the designation of the facility as a hazardous waste disposal site if ash is designated as hazardous by EPA. Kyger Creek may be impacted more due to marginally insufficient ponding capacity and an uncertain air pollution abatement future in Ohio (whether scrubbers will be required). The host communities are not likely to impose more stringent regulations and standards than EPA. Both of the host states are implementing RCRA but have insufficient resources to comply with mandated deadlines. It is quite likely that designation of hazardous waste facilities, generally, will invoke serious debate and possible opposition in host communities. Direct-combustion power plants, as a class, may be adversely affected by RCRA. Information flow to all coal users and waste generators must be assured to lessenthe costs of compliance with RCRA. Smaller facilities and entities are likely to be more adversely impacted by RCRA than large installations and industries.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 6141053
• Report Number(s): ORNL/OEPA-9
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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Health
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293000 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Policy
Legislation
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AIR POLLUTION ABATEMENT
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
COAL
COMMUNITIES
COMPLIANCE
ECONOMIC IMPACT
ELECTRIC UTILITIES
ENERGY SOURCES
ENFORCEMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
EQUIPMENT
FOSSIL FUELS
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
FUELS
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
GREAT LAKES REGION
IMPLEMENTATION
INDIANA
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
LAWS
LEGISLATION
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
MANAGEMENT
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NORTH AMERICA
OHIO
POLLUTION ABATEMENT
POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENT
POWER PLANTS
PUBLIC UTILITIES
RESOURCE CONSERVATION
RESOURCE RECOVERY ACTS
SCRUBBERS
SOCIAL IMPACT
STATE GOVERNMENT
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
US DOE
US EPA
US ORGANIZATIONS
USA
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT