EPA Regulation of Coal Waste

If I understand the issues correctly, the bill referred to as EPA Regulation of Coal Waste, will move the regulation of coal ash from the EPA to the states, in an attempt to prevent the EPA from eventually classifying coal ash as hazardous, which, according to the EPA's own scientific/factual regulations, coal ash does not classify as hazardous/toxic.

The "head" of the bill is Republican Representative John Shimkus, from Illinois.
The opposition is led by Democratic Representative Henry Waxman, from California.

I didn't really find Waxman's criticisms to be legitimate. The biggest concern here is taking away the power of the EPA and passing it to the states. While I agree that a federal institution (the EPA here) ought to be able to peruse, inform, and step in under gross abuses, I think it is more rational to have these local issues dealt with by local government agencies. The federal government should not be stepping into individual waste management institutions. Fuck that.

The other concern brought by the opposition is that coal ash, the waste product of coal energy factories (I believe), is toxic/hazardous. Despite R. Rep. John Shimkus large clear graph that demonstrates, scientifically, that coal ash does not meet the requirements of hazardous material set by the EPA, all the opposing Democrats continued to harp on the hazardous and toxic nature of coal ash.

These Democrats claimed to be the smart party?! Yet they can't grasp a simple, SCIENTIFIC assessment?

So 3-4 Democrats tried to add amendments to the bill. R. Rep John Shimkus opposed these amendments, pointing out that they were redundant. And like sore losers, each Democrat asked for a recorded vote.

(I believe the first Amendment was brought up by R. Rep John Shimkus and was passed)
2nd Amendment is not adopted.
3rd Amendment is not adopted.
4th Amendment is not adopted.
5th Amendment is not adopted.
6th Amendment is not adopted.

So Democratic Representative David Cicilline, from Rhode Island, stands up and makes a flowery speech about how the House of Representatives should be trying to pass legislation to get people back to work, to improve our economy, not on legislation that damages our environment and fails to protect our communities. But it's a pretty empty speech; there's a lot of rhetoric, but little facts, data, or info, mostly just fear-mongering. If he had been there 2 hours ago, he could have heard such facts that completely discounted everything he said, although whether he would have listened is debatable. And just for the record, putting the words "common sense" in front something (like this "common sense amendment") does not make that something "common sense."

Republican Representative Fred Upton, from Michigan, gives a speech opposing Dem Rep. David Cicilline. He tells the history of the bill; he talks of the many proponents of the bill; and he outlines, briefly, how this bill will be helpful. He uses info, data and rationale to support his point of view.

Final Vote on H.R. 2273, Limiting EPA Authority & Giving States Oversight Over Coal Ash
Yeas 267
Nays 144

Special thanks to C-SPAN.