South Carolina joins lawsuit to oppose EPA coal regulations

In the August 6, 2014 article SC suit against climate rules criticized organizations including the Conservation Voters of South Carolina and the S.C. Coastal Conservation League “oppose Attorney General Alan Wilson’s efforts [to reject the EPA’s targeted reductions of coal pollution], particularly because the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control is already working to help the state comply with the rules.” They say the rules will not be as hard to meet as has been suggested and South Carolina will get credit for reductions it has already made.

South Carolina is one of a dozen states, mostly in the South and Midwest, that oppose the EPA regulations to reduce coal on the grounds that utility rates may be increased and jobs threatened with little regard to the continued damage that coal pollution is causing. The article goes on to say: “South Carolina depends heavily on coal plants, a major source of carbon dioxide pollution. But the percentage of coal-generated power is dropping as utilities close outdated facilities. At one time, the state produced coal generated electricity from about a dozen places in South Carolina, but utilities have closed or are closing about a half dozen of the oldest power plants at those sites.” South Carolina would not have made these great strides in coal pollution reduction with the efforts of the Coastal Conservation League. See our previous article “Success in South Carolina…” for more information about the status of our coal ash ponds in this state.