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Bankruptcy Judge Confirms Montana Coop’s Chapter 11 Plan

A U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge has officially approved Southern Montana Electric Generation and Transmission Cooperative’s Chapter 11 reorganization plan.  Click here for more information about the plan.  Click here for details regarding the plan’s final confirmation.

Coal Squeezed Out By Environmental Regulations

New environmental regulations and coal plant retirements will affect the nation’s energy mix by 2015, according to a government report.  Coal consumption is projected to drop by 3.1 percent in 2015, despite the demand for coal power during the coldest parts of last winter.  The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates coal plant operators will shut down 60 GW of capacity by...

Delaware Coop to Buy Power from Landfill

Delaware Electric Cooperative (DEC) recently entered into an agreement to buy power generated by a 2-MW, methane-fueled plant located at a state-operated landfill.  Massachusetts-based renewable energy firm Ameresco will operate the plant and sell the power to DEC.  Delaware Governor Jack Markell touted the environmental benefits achieved by methane power “in a way that makes economic...

South Carolina Coops Speak Out Against EPA Carbon Mandate

Several South Carolina electric coops have joined the ranks of opponents to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed carbon emission limits for existing power plants.  Coops are particularly concerned about the compliance costs associated with the new rule, which will ultimately be paid by rural coop customers.  Click here for more information.

EPA Carbon Rule Could Lead States to Cap-and-Trade Programs

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed regulations requiring a 30 percent reduction in carbon emissions from existing power plants by 2030 outlines several approved ways for states to reach the targeted reductions.  However, some experts believe that most states will likely focus on achieving compliance through cap-and-trade systems.  Because the electricity grid...

EPA Proposes New Rule to Cut Emissions from Existing Plants

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on Monday that it has issued a proposed rule that would for the first time reduce greenhouse gas emissions from existing stationary sources, including coal-fired power plants.  The proposal calls for a cut in carbon dioxide emissions from existing plants to 30 percent below 2005 levels by 2030 and would be implemented through a...

Permit Changes Approved for Kansas Coop’s Proposed Coal Plant

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment recently approved changes to Sunflower Electric Power Corporation’s 2010 pollution-control permit.  This permit relates to the coop’s proposed 895-MW coal plant to be built near its existing Holcomb Station.  KSNW-TV is following this story.

U.S. Supreme Court Declines to Hear Controversy Over EPA Haze Authority

The U.S. Supreme Court denied petitions from North Dakota and Oklahoma challenging the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decisions to prioritize the respective states’ emissions control plans in favor of a federal plan.  In separate cases, the states claimed that the EPA’s action undermines the state-federal relationship outlined by the Clean Air Act.  For more on the cases...

Senate Agriculture Committee Raises Concerns about Proposed RUS Environmental Regulation

In its report accompanying spending legislation for fiscal year 2015, the Senate Agriculture Committee has directed the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Development office to provide a report on the impact of a controversial regulation proposed by the USDA.  The regulation at issue would reclassify all loan transactions for Rural Utilities Service (RUS) borrowers as “major...

Power Plant Emissions Regulations Are Around the Corner

Final regulations for capping greenhouse gas emissions from existing power plants are expected to be unveiled in June 2014.  The regulations provide that new coal-fired plants would limit emissions to within 1,100 pounds of carbon dioxide per megawatt-hour.  However, the plants would have the flexibility of choosing to average their emissions over several years if they agree to adhere...

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