Contact: Retha Mattern Executive Director of Public Engagement
701.355.2192
rethamattern@lignite.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BISMARCK, N.D. – The Lignite Energy Council today applauded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) announcement repealing two major rules that would have had devastating impacts on North Dakota’s coal industry—the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) Rule and the Greenhouse Gas (Carbon) Rule for existing power plants.
The now-repealed rules would have imposed costly one-size-fits-all federal mandates and unworkable standards on lignite-fired power plants, despite prior admissions by the EPA that these rules would have no meaningful impact on emissions.
“North Dakota’s coal fleet is already among the cleanest and most reliable in the country, and has invested billions of dollars in emissions control technology,” said Jonathan Fortner, Interim President & CEO of the Lignite Energy Council. “This repeal recognizes the state’s strong environmental performance and removes unnecessary regulations that would threaten grid reliability, energy affordability, and the continued use of our abundant lignite resource.”
North Dakota has long met all National Ambient Air Quality Standards and remains one of only four states that has never violated a federal air quality standard.
“This is a positive step for North Dakota. Our coal plants are already doing the right thing in meeting environmental standards while providing reliable, affordable electricity. Repealing these overreaching rules will protect good jobs in our rural communities while giving us the certainty we need to keep investing in the future of coal.”
The EPA’s previous MATS revisions ignored North Dakota’s unique coal type and relied on unrealistic performance assumptions that could have forced premature plant closures and threatened grid stability. Similarly, the Carbon Rule’s rigid emissions targets jeopardized baseload power generation without offering feasible compliance pathways.
Meanwhile, the most significant impacts on North Dakota’s air quality in recent years have come not from coal generation but from unchecked wildfires in neighboring states and Canada, which have affected the state’s air for the past three summers.
The Lignite Energy Council will continue working with state and federal partners to ensure environmental protection, energy security and economic opportunity remain at the forefront of national energy policy.
About the Lignite Energy Council
The Lignite Energy Council, the voice for North Dakota’s coal industry, is a regional trade association representing lignite producers, electric utilities, and more than 200 businesses that supply goods and services to the mines and plants. The Council plays a vital role in supporting an industry that generates approximately $5.5 billion in gross business volume annually and contributes $100 million in state and local tax revenues. The lignite industry also facilitates nearly 12,000 direct and indirect jobs across the state, strengthening North Dakota’s economy and energy landscape.