The facts
A report by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) states that the Trump administration provided support to 90 out of 184 operating coal plants in the US. This support included $950 million in taxpayer funds to 24 plants and Clean Air Act exemptions from toxic pollution limits for 70 plants. According to EDF, these measures helped coal plants continue operating despite economic and regulatory challenges. Surbhi Sarang, director and senior attorney at EDF, noted that the administration used various tools to support coal plants, which can increase electricity costs and pollution. The report highlights the Colstrip plant in Montana and the WA Parish plant in Texas as examples of plants that received exemptions. NorthWestern, owner of the Colstrip plant, stated its technology is state-of-the-art for certain emissions and that complying with updated federal standards would be costly. A White House spokesperson defended the administration's actions, claiming they revived the coal industry and saved lives by preventing plant retirements.
Our take
Well, here's a big, wet, sooty kiss to every American who enjoys breathing and not getting financially ass-raped by their utility company. The Trump administration, in a move that screams 'I own stock in black lung', funneled nearly a billion dollars of your money to 24 coal plants and told another 70 they could just ignore those pesky toxic pollution limits. Because nothing says 'pro-life' like fighting to keep archaic shit-heaps spewing mercury into the sky.
Let's be crystal clear: this isn't 'support.' This is a multi-million-dollar life support system for a brain-dead industry, paid for by the very people it's poisoning. The report notes this bullshit can increase electricity costs. So you get to pay more to breathe worse air, all so a few fossil-fueled fuckwits can pretend it's still 1955. What a deal.
The gall is fucking breathtaking. A White House spokesperson had the nerve to claim these handouts 'revived the coal industry and saved lives.' Saved lives? By exempting plants from Clean Air Act limits on toxic pollution? That's like saying a doctor saved a patient by handing them a loaded gun and a note that says 'good luck, shithead.' The logic is so ass-backwards it's a medical marvel.
And listen to the owner of the Colstrip plant, NorthWestern, whining that complying with updated federal standards would be 'costly.' Boo-fucking-hoo. Your 'state-of-the-art' technology is apparently so advanced it can't meet basic public health safeguards without a taxpayer-funded bribe. You're not pioneers, you're parasites.
This is the legacy: nearly half the country's coal plants got a participation trophy paid for with our health and our wallets. A final, giant 'fuck you' to the future, signed with a coal-stained check from the U.S. Treasury. What a bunch of pricks.
