Report finds US coal plants received $950m in support and pollution exemptions

An analysis by the Environmental Defense Fund indicates that the Trump administration has provided financial and regulatory support to nearly half of the coal plants currently connected to the US grid. The review of 184 operating facilities found that 90 received assistance through direct funding, exemptions from Clean Air Act toxic pollution limits, and requirements to remain online beyond their planned retirement dates. The administration allocated $950m in taxpayer funds to 24 plants and granted Clean Air Act exemptions to 70 others, according to the report.

Surbhi Sarang, a senior attorney at the Environmental Defense Fund, stated that the administration has used multiple tools to extend the operational life of these facilities. She argued that these measures increase electricity costs and pollution, resulting in a dual burden for the public. The analysis highlights that this support allows plants to continue operating despite economic and regulatory challenges that would otherwise lead to their closure.

The regulatory context shifted in 2024 when the Environmental Protection Agency updated the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards to further reduce harmful emissions from coal-fired power plants. These updates, which followed the 2015 standards that reduced dangerous pollution by more than 90%, included stricter limits on fine particulate matter. The 2024 rules reduced allowable emissions of toxic metals such as nickel, arsenic, and lead by two-thirds. In the early stages of the second Trump term, companies were invited to request exemptions from these new standards. Emails obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests show that operators expressed concern that compliance costs were prohibitive.

The Colstrip plant in Montana, which has operated for over 40 years, is cited as a primary example. The facility, owned by NorthWestern Energy and Talen Energy, releases toxic chemicals including mercury, arsenic, lead, and nickel, affecting nearby communities such as the Northern Cheyenne reservation. NorthWestern requested an exemption from the fine particulate matter requirements, arguing that compliance would cost $500m. Brian Bird, president and CEO of NorthWestern, wrote to the Department of Energy in March 2025, describing the investment as ludicrous given the slight improvement in particulate capture. The administration granted the exemption and subsequently repealed the 2024 standards in February. NorthWestern stated that its current technology is 99.6% efficient in removing filterable particulate emissions and that the updated standards would have required 99.8% efficiency by 2028 at a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars.

Another facility receiving an exemption is the WA parish coal plant outside Houston, Texas. The owner, NRG, requested exemptions for all its coal-fired facilities, arguing that compliance would force it to reduce power output in critical areas, risking grid reliability and affordability. A 2018 study by Rice University estimated that the plant contributes to up to 177 premature deaths annually from PM 2.5 particles. Professor Daniel Cohan of Rice University described the plant as the deadliest in Texas and noted that the exemptions allow struggling plants to remain open longer rather than being replaced by cheaper, cleaner energy sources. NRG did not respond to requests for comment.

The White House defended the administration’s actions in a statement. Spokesperson Taylor Rogers stated that previous policies had closed coal plants that provided reliable power, and that the current administration has supported more than 100 coal plants. The statement claimed that these efforts have prevented the retirement of more than 17 gigawatts of power capacity and saved lives during periods of high demand.