The U.S. Senate has approved the sum of $500,000 for an in-depth National Academy of Sciences study into the dumping of fly ash and its impact on ground and surface water supplies.

The announcement is seen as a win by individuals trying to provide for a clean future.The waste material is currently being dumped into the unlined Springdale Stripping Pit, which borders Tamaqua, Coaldale and Summit Hill. Seen by many as hazardous material, the current dumping operation has spawned outrage in the area and led to the creation of the Army For a Clean Environment.