Most, if not all, coal-fired plants will be forced to shut down because of the new regulations created by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The new rules target coal plants, implementing requirements to reduce toxic wastewater and safely stabilize the coal ash. If the owner of the coal fire plants cannot follow the rules, they will have to shift to clean energy or completely shut down (ABC News).
The EPA issued a statement regarding the new rules to reduce pollution from coal-fired plants. The new rules are there to help protect communities from pollution and environmental concerns like acid rain and smog, as well as prevent public health issues such as lung disease and respiratory illness. Coal fired plants produce sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide which causes acid rain, which acid rain can leach nutrients out of the soil by a sequence of chemical reactions, smog increases the chances of road accidents and flights being canceled, and lung disease and other respiratory illnesses can obstruct people’s ability to breathe and increase their risk of developing heart disease and lung cancer (eia.gov).
Many people oppose coal power plants. One of the reasons for this is because of the human health problems they can cause. Another reason people do not want coal-fired plants around is that it is the biggest contributor to climate change, which is affecting the temperature of the earth, putting many species at risk for extinction, and causing the rapid melting of Arctic ice. un.org
Students from John W North High School shared their opinions about whether or not the new EPA rules are for better or worse. Cameron Fontanez, a freshman, says “I think the EPA regulations are there for a reason and it is to keep the environment and people safe. It can also be said that many people will lose their jobs stated by reuters.com and most electricity comes from coal-fired plants. So, we will have many years of hard work ahead of us, but I believe that it will be worth it.” Many people could experience financial problems due to the loss of their jobs, since around 72.2 percent of all electricity comes from coal-fired plants, as stated by eia.gov.
Freshman Antoni Esttran comments, “The new EPA rules are good because coal-fired power plants burn coal, which releases carbon dioxide, since it warms the planet by adding infrared energy, it causes climate change and most importantly affects humans as well.”
EPA Administrator Micheal Regan says any coal-fired plants are pushing the planet to its limits. So, the EPA rules are supposed to help the environment and people’s health, tackling climate change and protecting all communities from pollution in our air, water, and in our neighborhoods.
