Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced that it disapproved Colorado’s regional haze plan. America’s Power President and CEO Michelle Bloodworth released the following statement in response:
“We are pleased that EPA has disapproved a harmful plan by Colorado to shut down several coal power plants that are needed to maintain the reliability of the electric grid. EPA and electricity policymakers recognize that our nation needs reliable, fuel-secure sources of electricity such as coal power plants. Utilities have announced plans to retire one-third of the nation’s coal fleet over the next five years, even though we cannot afford to shut down coal plants at a time when electricity demand is increasing dramatically.“
Fortunately, utilities have begun reversing plans to retire coal plants, and we commend EPA for taking bold steps to reverse bad policies, including today’s rejection of Colorado’s regional haze plan, that would cause more coal retirements, threaten grid reliability, and make electricity prices less affordable.”