‘War on coal’ rhetoric heats up as Biden seeks to curb pollution with election looming

Matthew Brown, Associated Press

COLSTRIP, Mont. (AP) — Actions by President Joe Biden’s management that could hasten closures of heavy polluting ember powerfulness plants and nan mines that proviso them are reviving Republican rhetoric astir a alleged “war connected coal” up of nan November election.

The beforehand statement successful nan governmental conflict complete nan substance is successful nan Powder River Basin of Wyoming and Montana, a sparsely populated conception of nan Great Plains pinch nan nation’s largest ember mines. It’s besides location to a monolithic powerfulness works successful Colstrip, Montana, that emits much toxic aerial pollutants specified arsenic lead and arsenic than immoderate different U.S. installation of its kind, according to nan Environmental Protection Agency.

The EPA past period finalized a suite of rules that could unit nan Colstrip Generating Station to unopen down aliases walk an estimated $400 cardinal to cleanable up its emissions wrong nan adjacent respective years. Another proposal, from nan U.S. Interior Department, would extremity caller leasing of taxpayer-owned ember reserves successful nan Powder River Basin, clouding nan early of mines including Westmoreland Mining’s Rosebud Mine that provides astir 6 cardinal tons of substance annually for Colstrip.

Eight years agone during his first White House run, Donald Trump stoked populist anger against authorities regularisation by highlighting anti-coal measures taken nether erstwhile President Barack Obama. The latest moves against ember person teed up nan rumor again for Republicans seeking to unseat Biden successful nan November election. Some coal-state Democrats besides raised concerns.

“This onslaught of caller rules is going to termination jobs and will termination communities for illustration Colstrip,” Montana Republican Sen. Steve Daines said during a sojourn to Rosebud Mine this week pinch Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte. “What will alteration this result is an predetermination and a caller administration.”

U.S. ember depletion dropped precipitously complete nan past decade arsenic inexpensive earthy state and renewables expanded. Yet coal’s governmental potency endures arsenic detractors effort to further curb burning of nan substance that’s a awesome contributor to ambiance alteration and aerial pollution.

It remains an economical champion successful communities specified arsenic Colstrip, generating jobs wherever workers tin gain $100,000 annually, according to national officials.

The Biden management defended nan latest restrictions connected ember arsenic basal to trim harmful pollutants, amended nationalist wellness and reside tribunal rulings complete ambiance change.

A Biden run typical noted that coal’s diminution continued during Trump’s presidency.

“There is nary warfare connected coal, location is only a conflict for our power future,” run spokesperson James Singer said. “Under President Biden, nan United States is person to power independency than we person been successful decades.”

Even pinch nan prohibition connected caller ember leases, companies already clasp leases connected much than 4 cardinal tons of ember connected taxpayer-owned lands. And management officials opportunity that’s capable to prolong mining for decades.

Supporters said nan crackdown connected contamination from ember plants was agelong overdue. Its origins trace to 1990 amendments to nan Clean Air Act that directed nan EPA to group standards for contamination simplification technologies.

Dr. Robert Merchant, a pulmonologist from Billings, Montana, said investigation information is clear that contamination from Colstrip and different plants is linked to aesculapian problems including cancers, developmental delays successful children and bosom attacks.

“The problem pinch Colstrip aliases immoderate ample manufacture for illustration that is they’re very bully astatine knowing nan economics arsenic it impacts their equilibrium sheets and bottommost line,” Merchant said. “Unfortunately, nan wellness effects are not appearing connected their bottommost line.”

Representatives of nan Northern Cheyenne Tribe had urged nan Biden management to adopt nan contamination rules to protect aerial value connected their preservation conscionable southbound of Colstrip.

The works opened successful nan mid-1970s and was later expanded. It towers complete Colstrip, a municipality of astir 2,000 people. It’s linked to nan Rosebud Mine by miles of conveyor belts that carrier a dependable proviso of ember to nan 1,480 megawatt plant, wherever it is burned to make energy for distribution crossed nan state.

Brian Bird, president of Colstrip co-owner NorthWestern Energy, said nan characterization of Colstrip by EPA Administrator Michael Regan during Congressional hearings arsenic nan “highest emitter successful nan country” was deceptive because of nan plant’s size — 1 of nan largest ember plants westbound of nan Mississippi River. Bird said Colstrip was “in nan mediate of nan pack” successful position of nan magnitude of contamination per megawatt of powerfulness generated.

Some Democrats said national agencies were moving excessively accelerated and excessively aggressively against coal.

Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester said nan EPA rules “missed nan mark” since it could costs hundreds of millions of dollars for Colstrip to travel into compliance. In West Virginia — nan 2nd largest ember shaper down Wyoming — Sen. Joe Manchin accused Biden of trying to “score short-term governmental points” by issuing nan caller rules successful an predetermination year.

Manchin announced Friday that he was leaving nan Democratic statement and registering arsenic an independent, citing nan “partisan extremism” of nan 2 awesome governmental parties.

Tester is considered 1 of nan astir susceptible Democrats successful nan Senate heading into nan election, pinch Republicans needing to prime up conscionable 2 seats to retake power of nan chamber.

His Republican challenger, Tim Sheehy, railed against nan “Biden Tester ambiance cult” pursuing announcement of nan prohibition connected caller ember leases. Tester spokesperson Eli Cousin said nan lawmaker was still reviewing nan administration’s proposal.

Manchin is not seeking reelection erstwhile his word ends successful January. Republican Gov. Jim Justice is moving for nan seat, and nan EPA rules could thief push voters into his area arsenic he faces Democrat Glenn Elliott, nan politician of Wheeling, West Virginia.

Elliott has advocated for much greenish power successful West Virginia but hasn’t commented connected nan EPA rules.

EPA officials pledged to activity pinch nan Colstrip plant’s owners “to thief them find a way forward” successful consequence to concerns from Tester and different lawmakers. Agency officials said 93% of coal-fired plants had shown they could comply pinch nan caller aerial contamination standards.

“We gave plants nan maximum magnitude of clip to comply pinch nan standards we are allowed to nether nan Clean Air Act — 3 years positive nan anticipation of a one-year extension,” EPA spokesperson Shayla Powell said successful a statement.

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Associated Press reporters Matthew Daly successful Washington and Leah Willingham successful Charleston, West Virginia, contributed to this story.