Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Lifts Burdensome EPA Restrictions on Coal Plants

Fact Sheets

President Trump’s fact sheet justifying exemptions for 66 coal plants from updated Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) contains multiple contested claims. Below is a point-by-point analysis:

  1. Claim: “Compliance requires emissions-control technologies that are not commercially viable”

    • The 2024 MATS update explicitly states compliance relies on existing technologies like activated carbon injection systems and fabric filters, which over 99% of coal plants already use to meet 2012 standards. Continuous emissions monitoring systems (CEMS) mandated by the rule are commercially deployed and provide real-time data. The Clean Air Task Force notes these technologies are feasible and cost-effective, with no novel systems required.

  2. Claim: Rule threatens grid reliability and jobs

    • Market forces, not regulation, drive coal’s decline: Coal accounts for 16% of U.S. electricity (down from 50% in 2000) due to cheaper renewables and natural gas.
    • EPA flexibility: Plants retiring by 2034 are exempt from new requirements, minimizing disruptions. Projected electricity price increases are marginal (0.3–0.7%).
    • Job losses overstated: Coal employment has steadily fallen since 2012 (pre-MATS) due to automation and market shifts, not recent rules.

  3. Claim: National security justification

    • The U.S. is a net energy exporter, with record oil/gas production. “Foreign energy reliance” is a misnomer.
    • The Department of Defense identifies climate change—exacerbated by coal emissions—as a top security threat.
    • Health costs ignored: MATS prevents $300M–$3.4B in annual damages from mercury/particulate matter, disproportionately harming low-income communities.

  4. Claim: “Balancing environmental standards with prosperity”

    • Health vs. savings: Rolling back MATS could cause 200,000 premature deaths and 10,000 daily asthma attacks by 2050, costing $6 in public health expenses for every $1 saved by industry.
    • Renewables boost economy: The Biden-era rule would add 4% to renewable energy capacity by 2030, creating jobs in faster-growing sectors.
    • Legal vulnerabilities: Courts have struck down prior MATS exemptions, as Section 112(i)(4) requires proof of technological unavailability—a claim contradicted by industry compliance records.

Omitted Context:

  • AI/data center demand: Trump’s push to power AI with coal ignores renewables’ suitability for high-energy computing.
  • Environmental justice: Exemptions disproportionately impact communities near coal plants, which face higher rates of pollution-linked diseases.

The fact sheet overstates coal’s indispensability, ignores proven pollution-control technologies, and dismisses health costs. While providing temporary relief to specific plants, the exemptions delay an inevitable energy transition and expose vulnerable populations to preventable harm. Market realities and existing Clean Air Act requirements render the administration’s arguments legally and factually tenuous.

SUPPORTING OUR NATION’S COAL INDUSTRY: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a proclamation granting two-years of relief from a stringent Biden-era environmental rule to certain coal-fired power plants, safeguarding the Nation’s energy grid and security, and saving coal plants from closure.

  • The proclamation allows certain coal plants to comply with a less stringent version of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) rule for two years, instead of the more onerous version put in place by the Biden Administration.
  • The move ensures these plants are not prematurely forced offline due to unattainable compliance requirements under the new rule.

ADDRESSING THE THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY AND ENERGY STABILITY: President Trump recognizes that environmental advocate overreach jeopardizes America’s energy reliability, economic vitality, and national security.

  • Coal is essential to our Nation’s grid, making up 16% of U.S. electricity generation.
  • Compliance with the Biden-era standards requires the application of emissions-control technologies that, for many coal plants, are not commercially viable.
  • The current compliance timeline of the Biden-era rule could force widespread coal plant shutdowns, risking thousands of jobs and the stability of our electrical grid.
  • These shutdowns could lead to electricity shortages, increased reliance on foreign energy, and heightened vulnerability during crises.
  • This relief is necessary to maintain operational coal plants, protect energy security, and allow time for viable technology solutions, avoiding broader risks to America’s economy and defense readiness.

BALANCING ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS WITH AMERICAN PROSPERITY: President Trump has consistently prioritized a pragmatic approach, ensuring environmental policies support rather than undermine America’s economic strength and national security.

  • President Trump has sought to protect American industries while maintaining standards that allow Americans to have among the cleanest air and water in the world.
  • He directed the EPA to repeal the Obama-era Clean Power Plan during his first term, replacing it with the Affordable Clean Energy rule in 2019 that set achievable standards to preserve jobs while addressing emissions.
  • He paused the expansion of windmills, recognizing their detrimental environmental impact, particularly on wildlife, often outweighs their benefits.
  • He has championed an energy dominance strategy, boosting domestic oil and gas production to reduce reliance on foreign energy while maintaining practical environmental oversight.
  • His approach encourages industry to develop cost-effective solutions like improved emissions technologies rather than imposing unfeasible mandates that risk economic disruption.