December 7, 2018 - The American Coal Council applauds EPA’s proposal to revise the prior administration’s New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for greenhouse gases (GHG) from new coal power plants. This is the right policy move and it reflects a sensible approach for emissions and for power plant coal technology. 

The prior administration’s GHG rule for new coal plants established a standard that was impossible to meet. The Best System of Emission Reduction requirements for technology to be adequately demonstrated and commercially feasible were disregarded. Implementation of that rule would have reduced American energy diversity and security, stopped the development of cleaner coal technologies, and increased the risk of higher electricity prices for consumers and businesses.

EPA’s newly-proposed GHG standard means that advanced coal technologies for improved efficiency and emissions reduction – including those that are already available and deployed more widely in the rest of the world than the U.S. – have a path to greater development and use here. This proposal recognizes the strategic importance of our nation’s abundant coal reserves. It connects the dots by supporting fuel competition and preserving electricity asset options over the longer term, while continuing to reduce emissions. It’s another step towards ensuring an all-of-the-above energy policy that works for America.

The American Coal Council represents the collective interests of the American coal industry from the hole-in-the-ground to the plug-in-the-wall ~ in advocating for coal as an economic, abundant and environmentally sound fuel source.