Aquatic disposal of slurried wastes from coal combustion has recently been implicated by our research group as a potential threat to the health of amphibian populations. Approximately 57 million tons of coal combustion wastes (CCW), which contain high concentrations of trace elements including As, Cd, and Se, are discharged into aquatic settling basins in the United States each year. Field surveys in one such disposal system located adjacent to the Savannah River in SC, USA revealed that at least 14 species of anurans utilize the 86 ha site during their respective breeding seasons. Published field surveys conducted by our research group and colleagues (C. Rowe) revealed that bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) larvae sampled from the system accumulate high concentrations of trace elements and exhibit developmental abnormalities, increased energy expenditures, and altered swimming performance (see publication list). Moreover, transplantations of eggs of the southern toad (Bufo terrestris) to the contaminated system suggest that reduced reproductive success or complete reproductive failure may result from amphibians being attracted to CCW-contaminated breeding sites (Rowe et al., 2001; SREL reprint 2517).