Trump administration aided nearly half of US coal plants, analysis finds
An Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) analysis says the Trump administration supported 90 of the 184 US coal plants connected to the grid, helping them continue operating despite economic and regulatory pressures. The support matters, the group says, because it may prolong plants’ operation and increase pollution and electricity costs for Americans.
According to the analysis, 24 plants received $950m in taxpayer funding and 70 were granted exemptions from Clean Air Act pollution limits. The article highlights Montana’s Colstrip plant, whose owners sought an exemption from updated limits on toxic metals, citing an estimated $500m compliance cost; the administration granted an exemption and later repealed the standards. NorthWestern Energy says Colstrip’s pollution-control technology is highly effective and that meeting the updated particulate requirement would have meant raising efficiency from 99.6% to 99.8% by 2028.
In short
- EDF says 90 of 184 grid-connected coal plants received federal support.
- The administration provided $950m to 24 plants and exemptions to 70.
- Colstrip’s owners cited a $500m cost to meet updated pollution limits.
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The case for
Supporters could argue that keeping coal plants available helps maintain reliable electricity while the grid transitions to other sources, particularly where replacement capacity or transmission is not yet ready. Taxpayer support and regulatory exemptions may prevent abrupt closures, protect energy security and limit disruption for communities that depend on the plants.
The case against
Critics could argue that public funding and exemptions weaken pollution safeguards and shift the costs of continued coal generation onto taxpayers and households. They may also prolong emissions that harm public health and delay investment in cleaner energy, especially where plant owners can meet updated standards at a reasonable cost.
Explained simply
Coal-fired power stations burn coal to generate electricity for the US grid. Many face pressure to close or invest in pollution controls as they age, while rules under the Clean Air Act limit pollutants that can harm people’s health and the environment.
The Environmental Defense Fund is an organisation that campaigns on environmental issues. Its analysis looked at federal support for coal plants, including taxpayer funding and exemptions from pollution limits; plant owners and energy companies, such as Colstrip’s owners in Montana, have argued that meeting some updated standards could be costly.
The issue matters because keeping plants open can affect electricity costs and the amount of pollution released. Decisions about funding and pollution rules involve the federal government, power companies and communities that rely on electricity or live near the plants.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “Trump boosted half of US coal plants with taxpayer dollars and ‘free passes to pollute’, report says”.