- The Trump administration granted two-year exemptions to 66 coal-fired power plants from federal emissions rules targeting air pollutants like mercury and arsenic. The Biden administration originally established the environmental regulations that these exemptions will circumvent as part of the Clean Air Act.
- The EPA stated the move is intended to support grid reliability, maintain affordable energy and strengthen national energy security.
- Environmental groups criticized the decision and filed a lawsuit, claiming it prioritizes polluters over public health and weakens air quality protections.
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The Trump administration granted temporary exemptions to dozens of coal-fired power plants from federal emissions regulations. This will allow these facilities to delay compliance with rules aimed at reducing air pollutants such as mercury and arsenic.
Which coal plants will be receiving these exemptions?
According to a list published on Tuesday, April 15, on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) website, 47 power providers operating at least 66 coal-fired facilities have received two-year exemptions from regulations introduced under the Biden administration. These rules, implemented under the Clean Air Act, were intended to limit pollution from coal-powered electricity generation.
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Several of the country’s largest utility providers, including Talen Energy, Dominion Energy and NRG Energy, are among the recipients of the exemptions.
Why is the Trump administration granting these exemptions?
In a statement, the EPA said they designed the exemptions to support the reliability of the U.S. electric grid, maintain affordable electricity prices and enhance national energy security. The decision follows the agency’s establishment of a dedicated email address for fossil fuel companies to request such exemptions, as well as a recent series of executive orders from President Donald Trump aimed at revitalizing the coal industry.
How are environmental advocacy groups responding?
Environmental and public health organizations have raised concerns about the exemptions. Some groups criticized the decision, arguing it weakens protections designed to safeguard clean air and favors industrial polluters over environmental safety.
“These passes to pollute carve a ragged hole through the heart of federal protections for the air we breathe,” Maya Golden-Krasner, a senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, said. “This is what it looks like to put polluter profits ahead of the wellbeing of Americans and the planet.”
What happens next?
In response to this and other moves by the Trump administration aimed at promoting fossil fuels, the Center for Biological Diversity announced on Wednesday, April 16, that it filed a lawsuit against several federal agencies. The organization is seeking additional information regarding these efforts to promote non-renewable energy sources by “rolling back and eliminating environmental safeguards.”
