A coal ash pond at Duke Energy’s Sutton plant in Wilmington, N.C. Associated Press Electric utilities will probably have to shut down some pools containing waste ash from coal-fired power plants under new rules released by federal regulators Friday. The rules, developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, require power companies to close ponds containing ash slurry if they are structurally unsound or have contaminated groundwater and aren’t lined with materials that prevent leaks. Utilities will have to check for leaks at all ash ponds and clean them up. “This rule is a pragmatic step forward to protect public health, while providing the utility industry the time it needs to implement these new requirements,” EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said during a conference call with reporters. The first-ever federal coal-ash standards cover about 735 ponds and 310 landfills that contain ash in more than 40 states. Companies found to […]