What: On May 18, 2026, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed to revise the effluent limitations guidelines and standards for unmanaged combustion residual leachate (CRL) from steam electric power plants.
Why: Leachate is composed of liquid, including any suspended or dissolved constituents, that has percolated through waste or other materials placed in a landfill or that passes through the surface impoundment’s containment structure (e.g., bottom, liner, dikes, berms). Unmanaged CRL is leachate that is not captured from a leachate-collection system and instead percolates out of the landfill or impoundment.
In 2024, the EPA issued a rule that required steam electric power plants not to discharge any pollutants or impose non-zero numerical limitations on pollutants from certain types of industrial wastewater. Since the 2024 rule was issued, the EPA has become aware of new information on the cost of requiring power plants to capture 100 percent of all unmanaged CRL.
The EPA’s proposed rule describes the challenges addressing unmanaged CRL, offers a range of regulatory options based on different known technologies, and solicits comments and data on the availability, performance, feasibility, and costs of each proposed option.
Action: Comments are due June 17, 2026.
PROPOSED RULE
Steam Electric Power Generating Effluent Guidelines – Unmanaged Combustion Residual Leachate
CONTACT:
Nick Goldstein
EMAIL:
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EPA
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