Featured Stories
N.J. A.G. Davenport Sues to Protect Health Insurance Coverage
TRENTON, New Jersey, Aug. 1 -- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport issued the following news release on July 31, 2026:
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Attorney General Davenport Sues to Protect Health Insurance Coverage
Co-Leads Lawsuit to Prevent Damage to New Jersey Healthcare
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Attorney General Jennifer Davenport today co-led the filing of a lawsuit challenging a federal rule that illegally undermines the Affordable Care Act (ACA), making health insurance more expensive and harder to obtain for millions of Americans, and which has already caused tens of thousands of New Jerseyans to go without health
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TRENTON, New Jersey, Aug. 1 -- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport issued the following news release on July 31, 2026:
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Attorney General Davenport Sues to Protect Health Insurance Coverage
Co-Leads Lawsuit to Prevent Damage to New Jersey Healthcare
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Attorney General Jennifer Davenport today co-led the filing of a lawsuit challenging a federal rule that illegally undermines the Affordable Care Act (ACA), making health insurance more expensive and harder to obtain for millions of Americans, and which has already caused tens of thousands of New Jerseyans to go without healthcoverage.
The lawsuit, co-led by Attorney General Davenport and California Attorney General Rob Bonta and joined by 19 other attorneys general and one governor, seeks to block provisions of the Trump Administration's ACA payment rule for 2027 health plans, which the same attorneys general previously opposed in a March 2026 comment letter.
"The Trump Administration's policies have already caused over a million Americans to lose coverage. If these additional changes aren't stopped, the situation will only get worse," said Attorney General Jennifer Davenport. "New Jersey families are already reeling this year from the president's refusal to extend ACA tax credits, his tariffs, and his war. Now, instead of lowering health insurance costs, the Trump Administration is reducing coverage and raising costs."
Among other harmful changes, the rule expands eligibility for catastrophic health insurance plans that offer only limited coverage and can leave consumers facing significantly higher out-of-pocket costs than standard ACA plans.
The rule also allows catastrophic and bronze plans to exceed existing limits on maximum annual out-of-pocket costs, increasing the financial burden on consumers. The multistate coalition argues that these and other provisions unlawfully undermine the ACA by increasing costs, reducing enrollment, and shifting financial burdens onto consumers, states, and healthcare providers.
Today's lawsuit follows the coalition's challenge to the Trump Administration's similar 2025 ACA Marketplace rule. Earlier this week, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts held a hearing on the parties' cross-motions for summary judgment in that case. In related litigation, a federal court last month vacated several provisions of the Administration's 2025 rule -- including some provisions at issue in this case.
The Administration's new rule setting standards for 2027 health plans brings back many of the same provisions that were challenged previously and adds new changes that further undermine the ACA. HHS estimates the new rule will cause two million people to lose coverage in 2027 alone and a total of five million people by 2030.
In today's lawsuit, the coalition argues that the new rule:
* Reimposes provisions that a federal court has already vacated -- including additional income verification requirements and penalties for consumers who do not complete tax-credit paperwork -- without addressing the court's legal concerns;
* Unlawfully expands eligibility for catastrophic health plans beyond the limits established by Congress in the ACA;
* Unlawfully allows catastrophic and bronze plans to exceed ACA limits on maximum annual out-of-pocket costs;
* Will increase costs, reduce enrollment, and shift financial burdens onto consumers, healthcare providers, and states; and
* Was adopted without adequate explanation or a meaningful response to the coalition's comments, making it arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedures Act.
Congress enacted the Affordable Care Act in 2010 to increase the number of Americans with health insurance and decrease the cost of healthcare. Between 2020 and 2025, enrollment in the ACA health insurance marketplaces doubled, and over 24 million people signed up for health insurance coverage through the ACA marketplaces for plan year 2025. That year, the Trump administration began its regulatory attempts to make health insurance more costly and harder to obtain, and it resulted in enrollment declining in 2026 by 1.2 million, the steepest annual decline in the ACA's history.
New Jersey's ACA exchange, Get Covered New Jersey, announced this year that nearly 70,000 residents dropped their health insurance coverage, most of them due to nonpayment, in the wake of the federal government failing to extend enhanced premium tax credits, which amounted to over $500 million in federal subsidies for New Jersey residents. In addition, fewer New Jerseyans were able to qualify for subsidies and overall monthly premiums became more expensive.
Assistant Attorney General Mayur P. Saxena is leading this matter on behalf of the State, along with Deputy Attorneys General Amanda Morejon, Estefania Pugliese-Saville, Bryce Hurst, and Joshua Bohn.
Attorneys General Davenport and Bonta were joined in filing today's lawsuit by the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin, as well as Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.
View Complaint (http://www.njoag.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/2026-0731_ECF-1-COMPLAINT.pdf)
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Original text here: https://www.njoag.gov/attorney-general-davenport-sues-to-protect-health-insurance-coverage/
N.J. A.G. Defendant: Defendant Who Allegedly Made False Accusations Against NJSP Troopers Faces Superseding Indictment on Additional Charge Stemming From Separate Incident
TRENTON, New Jersey, July 31 -- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport issued the following news release on July 30, 2026:
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AG: Defendant Who Allegedly Made False Accusations Against NJSP Troopers Faces Superseding Indictment on Additional Charge Stemming from Separate Incident
Attorney General Jennifer Davenport today announced that a state grand jury has returned a superseding indictment in the case of a Hunterdon County couple accused of making false allegations against the New Jersey State Police (NJSP). The new indictment handed down by the panel on July 30, 2026, includes
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TRENTON, New Jersey, July 31 -- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport issued the following news release on July 30, 2026:
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AG: Defendant Who Allegedly Made False Accusations Against NJSP Troopers Faces Superseding Indictment on Additional Charge Stemming from Separate Incident
Attorney General Jennifer Davenport today announced that a state grand jury has returned a superseding indictment in the case of a Hunterdon County couple accused of making false allegations against the New Jersey State Police (NJSP). The new indictment handed down by the panel on July 30, 2026, includesan additional charge against one of the defendants in connection with a second alleged false report made to the Warren County Prosecutor's Office against a municipal police officer last year.
Randal Kelco, 36, and Lisa DeStefano, 46, both of Bloomsbury, New Jersey, previously were indicted in regard to their allegedly false allegations against members of the NJSP, in which they accused troopers of sexually assaulting Kelco when the troopers responded to a call for service at their residence. The pair were indicted on two counts associated with that incident: making false reports to law enforcement authorities - falsely incriminating another person (second degree) and conspiracy to commit the crime of false reports to law enforcement (second degree).
The superseding indictment adds a third count of making false reports to law enforcement authorities - falsely incriminating another person (second degree) against Kelco, based on his allegedly false allegation of sexual assault by a Washington Township police officer.
"As this investigation progressed, OPIA became aware of an additional instance in which, as alleged, one of the defendants invented yet another baseless, disturbing story about a police officer," said Attorney General Davenport. "Fabricated allegations of sexual assault constitute an injustice and a disservice to not only law enforcement but also to real victims. We will stand up for all officers and troopers when they are falsely accused, and those who make meritless claims in bad faith will be held to account."
In December 2025, OPIA announced the filing of a criminal complaint against both Kelco and DeStefano in connection with claims they made against a group of NJSP troopers who had responded to a domestic dispute at their residence in Bloomsbury in October 2023.
After the filing of that complaint, OPIA learned of and investigated Kelco's new allegations against a Washington Township police officer in March 2025, leading to the superseding indictment.
Deputy Attorneys General Michael Angermeier and Diana Bibb are prosecuting the case for the OPIA Corruption Bureau.
Second-degree charges carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000.
Criminal charges are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Original text here: https://www.njoag.gov/ag-defendant-who-allegedly-made-false-accusations-against-njsp-troopers-faces-superseding-indictment-on-additional-charge-stemming-from-separate-incident/
Attorney General Liz Murrill Secures Louisiana Supreme Court Victory Upholding New Orleans Court Reform Law
BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, July 31 -- Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill issued the following news:
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Attorney General Liz Murrill Secures Louisiana Supreme Court Victory Upholding New Orleans Court Reform Law
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Attorney General Liz Murrill today secured a victory at the Louisiana Supreme Court after the Court upheld the constitutionality of Act 748, the law reforming New Orleans courts.
The Louisiana Supreme Court reversed the lower court's ruling that blocked the law from taking effect, lifted the preliminary injunction, and dismissed the lawsuit challenging Act 748. The Court concluded
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BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, July 31 -- Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill issued the following news:
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Attorney General Liz Murrill Secures Louisiana Supreme Court Victory Upholding New Orleans Court Reform Law
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Attorney General Liz Murrill today secured a victory at the Louisiana Supreme Court after the Court upheld the constitutionality of Act 748, the law reforming New Orleans courts.
The Louisiana Supreme Court reversed the lower court's ruling that blocked the law from taking effect, lifted the preliminary injunction, and dismissed the lawsuit challenging Act 748. The Court concludedthat the Legislature acted within its constitutional authority when it enacted the law.
"We are grateful that the Louisiana Supreme Court resolved this matter quickly and reaffirmed that Act 748 was constitutionally enacted. Today's decision restores certainty and allows the election process to move forward as intended," said Attorney General Liz Murrill.
The lawsuit, filed by Orleans Criminal District Court Judge John Fuller, sought to block implementation of Act 748, which reforms the structure of New Orleans courts by reducing the number of Criminal District Court judgeships from 13 to 10 as current terms expire. The Supreme Court rejected those claims and dismissed the case.
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Original text here: https://www.ag.state.la.us/Article/591
Attorney General James' Office of Special Investigation Releases Report on Death of Devon Allen
ALBANY, New York, July 31 (TNSrep) -- New York Attorney General Letitia James issued the following news release:
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Attorney General James' Office of Special Investigation Releases Report on Death of Devon Allen
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NEW YORK - New York Attorney General Letitia James' Office of Special Investigation (OSI) today released its report (https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/reports/osi-devon-allen-report.pdf) on the death of Devon Allen, who died on April 30, 2024 following an encounter with members of a joint New York City Police Department (NYPD) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Task
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ALBANY, New York, July 31 (TNSrep) -- New York Attorney General Letitia James issued the following news release:
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Attorney General James' Office of Special Investigation Releases Report on Death of Devon Allen
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NEW YORK - New York Attorney General Letitia James' Office of Special Investigation (OSI) today released its report (https://ag.ny.gov/sites/default/files/reports/osi-devon-allen-report.pdf) on the death of Devon Allen, who died on April 30, 2024 following an encounter with members of a joint New York City Police Department (NYPD) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) TaskForce in Manhattan. After a thorough investigation, which included interviews with involved officers and civilian witnesses, review of NYPD Crime Scene Unit paperwork and photographs, and comprehensive legal analysis, OSI determined that a prosecutor would not be able to disprove beyond a reasonable doubt at trial that the officers' actions were justified under New York law.
Shortly before 2:30 p.m. on April 30, officers from a joint NYPD and HSI Task Force were searching for Mr. Allen, who was suspected of committing a previous assault and was wanted for questioning regarding an ongoing federal investigation. When officers approached Mr. Allen on the street, he attempted to run away, and then a struggle ensued between two officers and Mr. Allen. Mr. Allen and the officers fell into a nearby business and continued wrestling as the officers attempted to handcuff Mr. Allen. During the struggle, Mr. Allen repeatedly attempted to grab the pouch he was wearing across his chest. A detective put his hand on the pouch and felt a gun. The detective then yelled to the other officers that Mr. Allen had a gun. The detective and one other officer discharged their service weapons, striking Mr. Allen. Mr. Allen was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. Officers recovered a gun from Mr. Allen's pouch at the scene.
Under New York's justification law, a police officer may use deadly physical force when the officer reasonably believes it to be necessary to defend against the use of deadly physical force by another. In this case, officers were pursuing Mr. Allen, who was suspected of committing a previous assault and was wanted for questioning regarding a federal investigation. When officers encountered Mr. Allen, he attempted to run away, and during the ensuing struggle, Mr. Allen reached for a gun that he had in a pouch across his chest. Under these circumstances, given the law and the evidence, a prosecutor would not be able to disprove beyond a reasonable doubt at trial that the officers' use of deadly physical force against Mr. Allen was justified, and therefore OSI determined that criminal charges would not be pursued in this matter.
The OSI recommends that NYPD require all members, including those working with federal agencies, to equip themselves with and activate body-worn cameras (BWCs). If the HSI members had been equipped with BWCs, there would have been video footage confirming that the detective who was engaged in a struggle with Mr. Allen repeatedly yelled that Mr. Allen had a gun. Therefore, OSI recommends that NYPD require all members to equip themselves with and activate BWCs.
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Original text here: https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2026/attorney-general-james-office-special-investigation-releases-report-death-devon
Attorney General Griffin Calls on FCC to Crack Down on Robocalls and Strengthen Federal Rules
LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas, July 31 -- Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Griffin Calls on FCC to Crack Down on Robocalls and Strengthen Federal Rules
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#Griffin: 'I am committed to doing everything in my power to stem the tide of fraudulent calls and texts in Arkansas'
LITTLE ROCK - Attorney General Tim Griffin issued the following statement after he joined 49 other attorneys general in urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to address illegal robocalls:
"I am urging the FCC to strengthen its 'Know Your Customer' (KYC) rules,
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LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas, July 31 -- Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Griffin Calls on FCC to Crack Down on Robocalls and Strengthen Federal Rules
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#Griffin: 'I am committed to doing everything in my power to stem the tide of fraudulent calls and texts in Arkansas'
LITTLE ROCK - Attorney General Tim Griffin issued the following statement after he joined 49 other attorneys general in urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to address illegal robocalls:
"I am urging the FCC to strengthen its 'Know Your Customer' (KYC) rules,which will help prevent criminals from utilizing the communications network within the United States to make illegal robocalls. These rules require phone companies to know who is making calls through their networks and what kinds of business these customers are conducting. When phone companies have insight into this, they can better monitor and ultimately suspend or terminate callers who use their networks for fraudulent purposes.
"Not a week goes by that I don't hear from multiple Arkansans about the problem of robocalls and fraudulent texts. As difficult as it may be, for calls and texts that originate from overseas accounts, we are doing everything in our power to track the perpetrators down and hold them accountable. But of course we will continue to root out fraud right here at home.
"The FCC already requires telecommunications providers to know who their customers are, but the current KYC rules obviously aren't doing enough as evidenced by the 29.6 billion scam robocalls and texts that Americans received last year, leading to a loss of nearly $2 billion.
"I am committed to doing everything in my power to stem the tide of fraudulent calls and texts in Arkansas. We have previously sent letters to telecommunications companies warning them against facilitating illegal robocalls; we won a $146 million judgment against a Florida company for facilitating robocalls; and we won a judgment against a Texas-based robocaller, which banned him from operating in telecommunications. My office remains vigilant in combating this problem and educating the public about how to avoid robocall and text scams through consumer alerts, public presentations, and participation in the national Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force."
Background
In addition to what the FCC is already doing, the coalition of attorneys general urge the FCC to:
* Require providers to understand their customers' business. In addition to verifying a customer's identity and existence, originating providers should also be required to examine and understand the customer's business practices, reputation, history, intended use of services, and their compliance with state and federal laws.
* Hold all originating providers to KYC standards. Even small originating service providers should be required to meet enhanced KYC standards. Scammers use originating providers, regardless of size, to access the communications network. In fact, illegal calls are often facilitated by smaller voice service providers. Not holding small providers to the same standards could cause them to be even more attractive to bad actors looking to use them to make illegal robocalls.
* Require originating providers to collect additional information on high-risk customers. While KYC requirements should be universal, the attorneys general support additional, long-term monitoring of customers who are more likely to make illegal robocalls, such as those subscribing to high volume services.
This letter comes after a coalition of 49 attorneys general sent reply comments to the FCC earlier in July, encouraging it to crackdown on illegal robocalls by strengthening rules that would cut off scammers' access to legitimate phone numbers.
The two letters are part of Phase 2 of Operation Robocall Roundup, an effort by the Anti-Robocall Multistate Litigation Task Force to crack down on robocalls across the country. Phase 1 launched in August 2025 with warning letters sent to 37 smaller voice providers that were allowing suspected illegal robocalls onto the U.S. telephone network. Phase 2 launched in December and expanded the crackdown to four of the largest intermediate voice service providers in the country.
About Attorney General Tim Griffin
Tim Griffin was sworn in as the 57th Attorney General of Arkansas on January 10, 2023, having previously served as the state's 20th Lieutenant Governor from 2015-2023. From 2011-2015, Griffin served as the 24th representative of Arkansas's Second Congressional District, where he served on the House Committee on Ways and Means, House Armed Services Committee, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, House Committee on Ethics and House Committee on the Judiciary while also serving as a Deputy Whip for the Majority.
Griffin is currently an officer in the Arkansas Army National Guard and holds the rank of colonel. Griffin served as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps for more than 28 years. In 2005, Griffin was mobilized to active duty as an Army prosecutor at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and served with the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) in Mosul, Iraq.
His previous assignments include serving as the Commander of the 2d Legal Operations Detachment in New Orleans, Louisiana; the Commander of the 134th Legal Operations Detachment at Fort Bragg, North Carolina; and as a Senior Legislative Advisor to the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness at the Pentagon. Griffin earned a master's degree in strategic studies as a Distinguished Honor Graduate from the U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania.
Griffin also served as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Political Affairs for President George W. Bush; Special Assistant to Assistant Attorney General Michael Chertoff, Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice; Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Arkansas; Senior Investigative Counsel, Government Reform and Oversight Committee, U.S. House of Representatives; and Associate Independent Counsel, Office of Independent Counsel David M. Barrett, In re: HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros.
Griffin is a graduate of Magnolia High School, Hendrix College in Conway, and Tulane Law School in New Orleans. He attended graduate school at Oxford University. He is admitted to practice law in Arkansas (active) and Louisiana (inactive). Griffin lives in Little Rock with his wife, Elizabeth, a Camden native, and their three children.
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Original text here: https://arkansasag.gov/news-release/attorney-general-griffin-calls-on-fcc-to-crack-down-on-robocalls-and-strengthen-federal-rules/
Attorney General Griffin Announces Conviction of North Little Rock Woman for Medicaid Fraud
LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas, July 31 -- Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Griffin Announces Conviction of North Little Rock Woman for Medicaid Fraud
Griffin: 'Those who defraud Medicaid will be held accountable because every fraudulent claim diverts taxpayer dollars from a program that countless Arkansans rely on'
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LITTLE ROCK - Attorney General Tim Griffin issued the following statement announcing the conviction of a North Little Rock woman for Medicaid fraud:
"On July 23, Sarah Childers, 42, of North Little Rock, pled guilty to one
... Show Full Article
LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas, July 31 -- Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin issued the following news release:
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Attorney General Griffin Announces Conviction of North Little Rock Woman for Medicaid Fraud
Griffin: 'Those who defraud Medicaid will be held accountable because every fraudulent claim diverts taxpayer dollars from a program that countless Arkansans rely on'
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LITTLE ROCK - Attorney General Tim Griffin issued the following statement announcing the conviction of a North Little Rock woman for Medicaid fraud:
"On July 23, Sarah Childers, 42, of North Little Rock, pled guilty to onecount of Medicaid Fraud, a Class C felony. As part of her sentence, she received five years of probation, was ordered to pay $13,494.30 in restitution, and must pay a $3,500 fine plus court costs. Childers, a speech therapist, was responsible for providing speech therapy services to students in area schools but failed to report to the schools. Instead, Childers fraudulently billed Medicaid for services that were never provided.
"Those who defraud Medicaid will be held accountable because every fraudulent claim diverts taxpayer dollars from a program that countless Arkansans rely on. I applaud the exceptional work done on this case by Special Agent Marcus Custer and Senior Assistant Attorney General Leigh Patterson of my Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU). I am also grateful for the assistance of Sixth Judicial Prosecuting Attorney Will Jones in this case."
The Arkansas MFCU receives 75% of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant totaling $4,781,516 for the Federal fiscal year 2026, of which $3,586,140 is federally funded. The remaining 25%, totaling $1,195,376 for the State fiscal year 2026, is funded by Arkansas General Revenue.
About Attorney General Tim Griffin
Tim Griffin was sworn in as the 57th Attorney General of Arkansas on January 10, 2023, having previously served as the state's 20th Lieutenant Governor from 2015-2023. From 2011-2015, Griffin served as the 24th representative of Arkansas's Second Congressional District, where he served on the House Committee on Ways and Means, House Armed Services Committee, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, House Committee on Ethics and House Committee on the Judiciary while also serving as a Deputy Whip for the Majority.
Griffin is currently an officer in the Arkansas Army National Guard and holds the rank of colonel. Griffin served as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps for more than 28 years. In 2005, Griffin was mobilized to active duty as an Army prosecutor at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and served with the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) in Mosul, Iraq.
His previous assignments include serving as the Commander of the 2d Legal Operations Detachment in New Orleans, Louisiana; the Commander of the 134th Legal Operations Detachment at Fort Bragg, North Carolina; and as a Senior Legislative Advisor to the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness at the Pentagon. Griffin earned a master's degree in strategic studies as a Distinguished Honor Graduate from the U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania.
Griffin also served as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Political Affairs for President George W. Bush; Special Assistant to Assistant Attorney General Michael Chertoff, Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice; Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Arkansas; Senior Investigative Counsel, Government Reform and Oversight Committee, U.S. House of Representatives; and Associate Independent Counsel, Office of Independent Counsel David M. Barrett, In re: HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros.
Griffin is a graduate of Magnolia High School, Hendrix College in Conway, and Tulane Law School in New Orleans. He attended graduate school at Oxford University. He is admitted to practice law in Arkansas (active) and Louisiana (inactive). Griffin lives in Little Rock with his wife, Elizabeth, a Camden native, and their three children.
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Original text here: https://arkansasag.gov/news-release/attorney-general-griffin-announces-conviction-of-north-little-rock-woman-for-medicaid-fraud/
ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL OPPOSES TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PROPOSAL TO ALLOW TOXIC COAL ASH FACILITIES TO BYPASS PERMITTING REQUIREMENTS
CHICAGO, Illinois, July 31 -- Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued the following news release:
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ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL OPPOSES TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PROPOSAL TO ALLOW TOXIC COAL ASH FACILITIES TO BYPASS PERMITTING REQUIREMENTS
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Chicago - Attorney General Kwame Raoul led a coalition of six attorneys general in opposing a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposal to implement a federal permit program for the disposal of coal combustion residual (CCR), also known as coal ash. The EPA's proposed permit program could allow coal ash facilities to receive federal permits without
... Show Full Article
CHICAGO, Illinois, July 31 -- Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued the following news release:
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ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL OPPOSES TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PROPOSAL TO ALLOW TOXIC COAL ASH FACILITIES TO BYPASS PERMITTING REQUIREMENTS
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Chicago - Attorney General Kwame Raoul led a coalition of six attorneys general in opposing a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposal to implement a federal permit program for the disposal of coal combustion residual (CCR), also known as coal ash. The EPA's proposed permit program could allow coal ash facilities to receive federal permits withoutnecessary scrutiny from the EPA.
Coal ash is a form of toxic waste that is left over after burning coal at power plants, which contains a host of toxic chemicals, including arsenic, lead and mercury. Coal ash can leach into groundwater near ash ponds or flow into nearby surface water when ash ponds overflow or via groundwater when ash ponds leak. The chemicals pose numerous dangers to human health, including cancer, cardiovascular effects and neurological effects.
"The EPA's proposal would jeopardize the safety of Illinois' waterways and human health," Raoul said. "Although state regulations address coal ash in Illinois, federal permits could allow coal ash from other states to migrate into our waterways. I'm calling on the Trump administration to abandon these dangerous policy changes, and I will continue to work with my fellow attorneys general to advocate for strong environmental protections and oppose attempts to undermine or eliminate important regulations."
In their comment letter submitted Wednesday to the EPA, Raoul and the coalition call on the agency to create a strong federal permit program that protects human health and the environment from the disposal of CCR. Raoul and the coalition explain that the EPA's lax federal permit coverage under the proposal would allow overbroad general permits that would not require individualized scrutiny of the potential for adverse health or environmental effects. In addition, Raoul and the coalition highlight that the EPA's proposal does not allow for an appropriate level of public participation in the permitting process.
The EPA has found that living near coal ash storage facilities such as ponds and landfills increases the risk of exposure to toxic metals like cadmium, cobalt, lead, thallium and other pollutants at concentrations far above levels that are considered safe, which can cause damage to human health including to the liver, kidneys, lungs and other organs. The letter cites the EPA's own risk assessment, which found that risks to infants are particularly severe. The letter also notes that the EPA found that contamination from coal ash can accumulate in fish and contaminate drinking water with consequences including cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurological disorders, kidney and liver damage, and lowered IQs in children. In addition, CCR units in one state can lead to pollution via groundwater and surface water that crosses state lines. For example, coal ash in Indiana has significant consequences for water quality in Illinois.
Raoul and the coalition urge the EPA to withdraw its proposal and revise its provisions to create a federal permit program that ensures each CCR unit that would receive a federal permit achieves compliance with the applicable requirements intended to prevent adverse effects on health or the environment.
In addition to the comment letter, Raoul led a coalition of attorneys general in submitting comments in June opposing a related rule change that would rescind regulations protecting water from coal ash contamination. In 2024, the EPA adopted regulations for ash ponds at inactive power plants and other previously unregulated sites called coal combustion residuals management units. The Trump administration recently proposed a new rule that would relax requirements for legacy ash ponds and entirely exempt management units from federal regulation. In another comment letter, Raoul and a coalition of attorneys general noted that state regulations on coal ash are not uniform, and some states with coal ash ponds or landfills near their borders have weaker regulations, potentially threatening the waters of neighboring states.
These letters are the latest actions in Raoul's ongoing work to protect the environment, advance clean energy solutions, and sound the alarm about the Trump administration's unprecedented attempts to illegally dismantle programs and rescind regulations that protect clean air, clean water, clean energy, the climate, and public health and safety. Read more about those efforts here.
Joining Raoul in submitting this comment letter are the attorneys general of Colorado, Delaware, Maryland, Minnesota and New Mexico.
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Original text here: https://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/news/story/attorney-general-raoul-opposes-trump-administration-proposal-to-allow-toxic-coal-ash-facilities-to-bypass-permitting-requirements
