The Clean Power Plan may face some serious changes, as President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order this week reversing the Obama administration’s commitment to regulate carbon dioxide produced by coal-burning power plants.
The long-expected executive order is rumored to direct the Environmental Protection Agency to slash regulations of coal-related carbon dioxide emissions by re-writing and re-enacting the plan. From the beginning, industry groups have criticized Obama’s plan for eliminating jobs.
Powder River Basin Resource Council Chair Bob LeResche said changing the Clean Power Plan will not bring back coal by itself.
“Less coal is being burned in power plants because of a couple reasons,” said LeResche. “Natural gas is much cheaper than coal, and more abundant actually. The other reason is that renewable energy such as wind turbines and solar is growing and growing, and utilities are using that, and some states are requiring they use that.”
LeResche also said there could be global implications of undoing the Clean Power Plan since it was the Obama administration’s commitment to the world under the Paris Climate Agreement.