Environmentalists turn out in force to oppose Trump coal ash rollbacks

Trump admin wants to rely on states for coal ash monitoring, enforcement, allow them to bypass national standards.

1. Frame 1Trump's EPA proposes repealing a federal coal-ash rule for inactive power plants, putting nearby drinking water at issue.
2. Frame 2Utilities would face fewer federal monitoring duties for coal-ash ponds and landfills that can leak toward nearby groundwater.
3. Frame 3EPA says the change restores energy dominance and state flexibility; opponents say national standards protect drinking water.
4. Frame 4At a virtual EPA hearing, environmental advocates lined up against the rollback and warned states could be left policing polluters.
5. Frame 5The proposal could exempt some coal-ash storage sites and let plant owners delay or avoid cleanup.
6. Frame 6Next pressure point: EPA's final rule decides how much monitoring stays federal and how much shifts to states.