Environment & Energy
Related: About this forumOh Well!! 10 Utility Companies Ask Shitstain's EPA To Cut Rules Governing Coal Ash Waste And NG Plant Emissions
Environmental advocates in North Carolina are angry after 10 utilities and power companies, including Duke Energy, sent a letter Jan. 15 to Lee Zeldin, confirmed on Wednesday as EPA administrator, asking him to weaken environmental regulations over coal ash and natural gas. These regulations help protect air and water from toxic chemicals as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions that drive climate change.
The Senate confirmed Zeldin on a largely party line, 56-42 vote, with three Democrats voting in favor. Zeldin has in recent years advocated unleashing fossil fuel production. Canary Media first reported the existence of the letter. The power companies alleged, without citing evidence, that stronger EPA rules for the fossil fuel industry, enacted under previous administrator Michael Regan, individually and collectively threaten the reliability of the power grid, jeopardize national security, are a drag on economic growth, increase inflation and hinder the expansion of electric power generation to support the critical development and deployment of artificial intelligence and related technologies.
A Duke Energy spokesman declined to comment, saying the letter summarizes the utilitys stance.
Coal ash contains several harmful chemicals, including arsenic, cadmium, mercury and lead. Nationwide, chemicals from unlined ash ponds have leaked into the groundwater, which in some instances have contaminated private drinking water wells. Current EPA regulations have attempted to close some loopholes that allowed the contamination to continue unchecked.
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https://insideclimatenews.org/news/31012025/duke-energy-asks-epa-to-roll-back-emission-regulations/

Lovie777
(17,712 posts)JT45242
(3,224 posts)Coal is more expensive.
It damages the equipment because the sulfur compounds in burning end up as sulfurous acid or sulfuric acid or other nasty compound that damage the stacks.
Energy companies had switched to natural gas from coal because it was good business.
They were moving to green because it reduces supply side cost once the initial build cost is paid off.
It's just like a game of power grid or SimCity ...you start with coal because it's cheap supply. Then you switch to something that doesn't ruin your means of production.
hatrack
(62,160 posts)More profits!! MORE PROFITS NOW!! MORE PROFITS RIGHT FUCKING NOW EVERY QUARTERLY EARNINGS STATEMENT BIGGER THAN THE LAST FOR FUCKINGEVER!!!!!!!!!!
2naSalit
(96,312 posts)