Duke Energy asks Trump admin to roll back pollution regulations

[Zorro]

The utility, which has two million Florida customers, wants changes to greenhouse gas and coal ash rules.

In a letter sent to President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, Duke Energy and other utility companies called for “swift and sustained action” to roll back new limits on both greenhouse gas emissions and coal ash produced by power plants.

The two regulations targeted by the utilities were unveiled by the Biden administration, and imposed landmark rules to try to clean up the country’s power generation to help mitigate climate change.

The letter, dated Jan. 15 and addressed to former U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin, has not been previously reported. Zeldin has not yet been confirmed by the Senate to lead the environmental agency, but that process could be completed by the end of the week.

The first category of rules cited by the companies, related to greenhouse gas emissions, essentially requires coal-fired plants to capture smokestack emissions or shut down by 2032, while many new natural gas-fired power plants must eliminate 90% of their carbon dioxide emissions. To do this, utilities must employ expensive carbon capture technology, likely making zero-emissions options like solar more attractive. The utilities have said carbon-capture technology is untested and “impossible to implement” by the 2032 deadline.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/2025/01/30/duke-energy-florida-trump-pollution-rollback-letter-greenhouse-gas-coal-climate/

[rubbersole]

1. Hey, Duke Energy...

...you have to "donate" to tsf to get your way. Duh.