Restarting Dirty Coal Plants Will Mean More Pollution, Health Harms, Higher Costs for Americans

“Restarting old, dirty coal plants will bring more pollution and higher costs for American families. It will mean more smog, more asthma attacks for kids, more heart problems for older Americans, and more toxic mercury that’s a danger to the brain development of young children.

“You can’t power a 21^st century AI economy with 19^th century energy. Electricity from wind and solar now costs 60% less than electricity from gas and coal – the dollars make sense. Utilities are closing coal plants because they know they are a losing proposition.

“We will vigorously oppose efforts to impose the costs of deadly pollution and higher electricity costs on millions of people. Clean and affordable solutions are at hand and are delivering here and now. In 2024, clean energy provided more power across the U.S. than coal-burning smokestacks. Healthy communities require clean solutions, our clean air laws require clean solutions, common sense requires clean solutions. Clean and affordable solutions are the path forward. 

“This U-turn on power generation would lead to another public health disaster, raise costs, and makes no sense for Americans – from cost shocks in their electric bills to losing renewable energy jobs and surrendering U.S. manufacturing of these clean solutions.” - Vickie Patton, General Counsel, Environmental Defense Fund