Trump's EPA moves to reject important parts of a Colorado plan to close coal-fired power plants

The US environmental protection authority wants to let the Colorado plan to close several coal-fired power plants, and argues that the planned retirement threatens the reliability of the networks and not comply with the federal law.

Colorado plans to close all six of his remaining coal -fired power plants by 2031. The transition is part of the wider efforts of the state to reduce its contribution to climate change and to switch to cleaner energy sources such as wind and solar.

The preliminary decision published on Wednesday invalid for the regulations and pension agreements at the state level behind these deadlines. Instead, it rejects Colorado to codify these age data in its regional haze plan that the federal government needs to protect air quality through national parks and nationwide wilderness areas.

According to Top Air Quality Regulator in Colorado, the proposal will not derail the planned transition from coal. At the same time, environmental representatives fear that the decision marks an opened Salvo to prevent states from moving away from coal to confront climate change and protect local air quality.

“It really speaks more generally about what we have as a state,” said Jeremy Nichols, a senior lawyer for the center of the environmental health program of biological diversity. “The administration explains our efforts to promote clean energy and to protect people and the climate.”

Why the EPA wants to reject the Colorado plan to close coal -fired power plants

The move marks the latest attempt by the Trump government to revive a fighting coal industry.

Since the office, the President has signed several executive orders to open new coal for federal landing and to solve the contamination standards for coal -fired power plants. The American Minister of Energy, Chris Wright, the former CEO of a resident fracking company, also intervened to stop the planned closure of a coal-fired power plant in Michigan.

The latest preliminary decision is a direct goal for politics at the state level to relieve the coal industry. In a telephone interview with CPR News, Cyrus western, the administrator of the EPA Region 8, reflected an important argument in the proposal: Federal Act does not allow Colorado or another government to close the supply of power plants.

“We believe that Clean Air Act does not give anyone to close the facilities of coal production against the will of the owner,” said Western.

In fact, the proposed decision claims that every attempt to close a power plant exceeds the limits of the US Clean Air ACT and violates the protection against the constitution against the income of private property without compensation.

According to Nichols, these claims should alert everyone who is looking for guidance of air conditioning management such as Colorado or California. Even if the proposed decision is not immediately scrapped plans for the retirement of carbon power plants, he fears that you will give care companies or pro-fossil fuel groups that try to delay a transition. It also contains a much broader legal argument to prevent states from force the supply companies to prevent the burning of coal.

“We may have government rules, but they are not approved nationwide,” said Nichols. “What is even worse is that the EPA questions the general legal capacity of these closure data.”

The EPA also argues that closing coal -fired power plants could make the network less reliable. In its proposed decision, the agency discusses the Colorado Spring Utilities in detail, in which recent discussions with Colorado's air quality were initiated in order to continue to operate the operation of the Ray Nixon power plant after a planned retirement date at the end of 2029.

Danielle Nieves, a spokesman for Colorado Spring Utilities, said that the price of renewable energies had shot up due to the “regulatory uncertainty” and the “ongoing overload of the supply chain”. In addition, Nieves said that the utility had difficulties in ensuring access to sufficient transmission lines to get the customer to receive clean electricity.

As a result, the service program supports the EPA's efforts to remove the deadline from the state's air quality plan until it finds a more suitable date of retirement, said Nieves.

Colorado digs up against the federal government

Colorado is already in the middle of a quick transition of coal.

In 2023, the US energy information management reported that the state was based on the energy source for 32% of its total electrical production, of almost 68% in 2010. The transition occurred both due to economic concerns and state regulations, according to which the supply companies have to reduce the contribution to climate change.

In a written statement, Michael Ogletre, Senior Director of Air Quality Programs in Colorado, said the proposed decision of the EPA does not change the direction of Colorado or delays the shift.

“Care companies move away from coal because it is no longer the most affordable or most reliable option,” said Ogletre. “Many coal systems have already closed or are on the way to retirement – driven by economy and cost savings for consumers, not by federal mandates. This transition is locked up by supply planning and is continued regardless of this federal decision.”