EPA Finalizes Virginia’s Coal Combustion Residuals Permit Program
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the final approval of the Commonwealth of Virginia’s coal combustion residuals (CCR) permit program. This action will allow the commonwealth, rather than the federal government, to permit CCR disposal in surface impoundments and landfills. This approval is part of EPA’s broader effort to ensure that the CCR program reflects the agency’s commitment to restoring energy dominance, strengthening cooperative federalism, and protecting human health and the environment.
“Today’s approval reflects the Trump EPA’s commitment to cooperative federalism and permitting reform, both central to Powering the Great American Comeback,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. “By putting Virginia’s experts in charge of managing their own resources, landscapes, facilities, and communities, we’re making sure local knowledge guides environmental protection and economic growth.”
“The Trump EPA is delivering practical results that strengthen state leadership while protecting our communities,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Amy Van Blarcom-Lackey. “Administrator Zeldin’s approval of Virginia’s CCR permit program gives the commonwealth the authority to oversee coal ash disposal under a program that meets federal standards, provides greater regulatory certainty, and protects public health and the environment.”
After reviewing the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s CCR permit program application, EPA determined that the program meets all standards for approval.
Under the Trump administration, EPA has made significant progress working with states as they seek to manage their own CCR programs. Throughout President Trump’s two terms in office, EPA has set the stage for 10 states to receive CCR program approval. Virginia is the sixth state to have its CCR permit program approved by EPA.
EPA will continue working with state partners to prioritize timely action and empower those with local expertise to oversee more effective CCR disposal operations. The agency anticipates finalizing other CCR permit program decisions in the near future.
For more information about this approval, visit the Virginia CCR permit program webpage.
Background
On March 12, 2025, EPA committed to taking swift action on CCR, including state permit program reviews and updates to the CCR regulations. Since then, EPA has approved permit programs for North Dakota, Wyoming, and Virginia, and proposed approvals for Louisiana, Alabama, Wisconsin, and Indiana. Approved states cannot have CCR regulations and policies that are less protective of human health and the environment than the federal regulations.
In November 2025, EPA proposed to extend an alternative closure requirement deadline. This deadline extension would promote electric grid reliability by allowing a subset of coal-fired power producers to continue to operate.
On April 13, 2026, EPA proposed several revisions to the federal regulations governing the disposal and beneficial use of CCR. If finalized, this proposal would promote resource recovery, allow for site-specific considerations in permitting, provide regulatory relief while continuing to protect human health and the environment, and ensure continued transparency. Following that proposal, on July 13, 2026, EPA announced an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to gather input on a potential general permit option for CCR facilities. Earlier in 2026, EPA announced a final rule that extends the compliance deadlines for requirements governing CCR management units. This deadline extension provides additional time to meet facility evaluation requirements and to comply with groundwater monitoring provisions.