Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell issued the following statement following a suite of actions taken by the Trump Administration on Tuesday evening announcing its intent to prop up polluting coal-fired power generation at the expense of public health and the climate and force ratepayers to shoulder the burden of aging power plants.
“The Trump Administration’s attempts to keep aging, polluting facilities running will only increase electricity prices, harm public health, and exacerbate the devastating impacts of climate change. Coal is not essential to meet the rising demand for electricity. Renewable energy sources like wind and solar are cheaper to build and operate and much faster to deploy.
“The health of Massachusetts residents, our environment, and our state economy depend upon a common-sense approach to mitigate the effects of climate change and reduce hazardous air pollution. That’s why my office has led coalitions to advocate for and defend limits on greenhouse gas emissions and air toxins. While the federal administration puts our environment and public health at risk, my office will continue to step up and lead the fight for our future.”
On April 8, President Trump issued an Executive Order that urges agencies to rescind any environmental protection requirements on coal generation and encourages coal mining on federal lands. Another Executive Order issued the same day outlines a policy to prevent power plants from shutting down or reducing capacity, even if they are no longer economical. A separate Presidential Proclamation purports to exempt coal-fired power plants from limits on emissions of mercury and other air toxins, important public health measures for which the Attorney General’s Office has long advocated.
The President’s actions refer to a so-called “national energy emergency.” There is no such emergency. AG Campbell recently joined nine other attorneys general in sending a letter to Congress explaining that, contrary to the President’s claims, the U.S. energy sector is thriving and has been a net exporter since 2019. As this letter highlighted, the biggest threat facing North America’s bulk power system is extreme weather, a risk that continued production from aging and polluting power plants will only exacerbate.
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