Federal government urges use of coal byproducts in farming

Despite a growing push for renewable energy sources, much of the nation’s electricity still comes from coal-fired plants. And these plants create a large amount of waste. One of the byproducts of coal fired plants is synthetic gypsum or FGD gypsum. It’s a calcium-rich material that some farmers have had success using on their fields. Finding “beneficial uses” for coal plant waste started under the Bush Administration and now, both the EPA and USDA are encouraging farmers to use the chalky waste.

In a statement provided to FSRN, the Environmental Protection Agency said that it "believes that the use of FGD gypsum in agriculture is safe in appropriate soil and hydrogeologic conditions." But the agency adds that it is important to first assess soil conditions to determine "compatibility and appropriate application rates." The news comes while the EPA also considers regulating coal waste for the first time.

Here to discuss the idea is Paula Dinerstein, an attorney with the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, a service organization for local state and federal resource and environmental professionals.