State Environmental and Health Advocates Denounce Repealing Rules that Limit Greenhouse Gases

Wednesday, June 18th, 2025 -- 8:01 AM

(Danielle Kaeding, Wisconsin Public Radio) Wisconsin environmental and health advocates are denouncing plans by the Environmental Protection Agency to repeal rules that limit heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions from power plants that contribute to climate change.

According to Danielle Kaeding with the Wisconsin Public Radio, the EPA recently proposed rules to repeal the Biden-era regulations and weaken standards aimed at reducing emissions of mercury and other toxic pollutants.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the move would save the power sector $19 billion over two decades and more than $1 billion each year for Americans. It’s part of the current administration’s effort to make good on its promise to “unleash American energy” and orders that keep coal plants online.

In May, the Department of Energy ordered two fossil fuel plants in Michigan and Pennsylvania to continue operating to avoid any “generation shortfall” despite their plans to retire this month.

Cassie Steiner, senior campaign coordinator for Sierra Club Wisconsin, said the EPA’s proposal is concerning as Wisconsin has been seeing more severe storms, tornadoes and unhealthy air due to smoke from wildfires that are driven by climate change.

“We’re experiencing the impact of climate change already in Wisconsin and rolling back greenhouse gas emission standards is not going to make the problem better. It’s going to make it worse,” Steiner said.

EPA data shows power plants are the second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions next to the transportation sector. In Wisconsin, most recent federal data shows coal made up 32 percent of the state’s power mix in 2023, while natural gas accounted for 43 percent.

Around 34 percent of the state’s 90.6 million tons of carbon emissions come from burning fuels to produce electricity. That’s equal to the emissions of more than 21 million gas-powered vehicles on the road each year.

We Energies and Alliant Energy have announced plans to retire coal units in Oak Creek, Sheboygan and Columbia County as they shift to wind and solar. Both said they have not been contacted by the current administration about their coal operations.

We Energies, the state’s largest utility, retired two coal units at its Oak Creek plant and two more are expected to shut down this year. In a statement, utility spokesperson Brendan Conway said it’s reviewing what impact, if any, the EPA announcement may have on its operations.

“Our customers count on us to deliver reliable energy, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We will continue to work with federal and state stakeholders on our ‘all of the above’ approach to keep energy flowing to our customers,” Conway wrote.

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