Trump plan props up coal plants while West breathes dirty air
The Trump administration rolled out its plan to rescue America's coal plants on Tuesday, as cities in the Northwest and elsewhere on the West Coast were breathing unhealthy air from the region's latest summer outbreak of wildfires.
The plan would allow states to set emission standards, easing regulation to keep aging coal plants in operation. It reverses the Clean Power Plan of the Obama administration, which was aimed at speeding closure of old, polluting power plants.
The reaction from fire-plagued states of the West was fiery.
"On behalf of our state, our environment and Washingtonians concerned about the impacts of global climate chantge, we will challenge this unlawful action in court," Gov. Jay Inslee and Attorney General Bob Ferguson said in a statement.
"The impacts of climate pollution know no borders," they added. "Washingtonians know how harmful climate change is to our health as we are suffering through horrific wildfires, extreme heat and historically unhealthy air quality levels."
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., on a similar theme, said: "This news is particularly insulting for families and fire crews in Washington state, where right now the skies are filled with smoke from yet another brutal wildfire season, one of many effects of climate change that our communities are experiencing in real time."
Gov. Jerry Brown was blunt in Tweets, saying: "California will fight this stupidity in every conceivable way possible."
Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley commented: "Today, the Trump agenda to turn the EPA into the Polluter Protection Agency is complete."
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