Trump to announce new, looser emissions rules for coal power plants

President Trump intends to announce this coming week new guidelines for emissions from coal power plants, The Washington Post reported Saturday.

The proposal would reverse an Obama administration policy, the Clean Power Plan, intended to discourage coal use long-term. The new plan would allow states to set comparatively looser standards for coal plants for the next decade.

The Post reports the Trump proposal will result in the release of 12 times the amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere as compared to emissions under the Obama-era rules, and other pollutant emissions will be affected as well:

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"These numbers tell the story, that [the Trump administration] really remain[s] committed not to do anything to address greenhouse gas emissions," said Joseph Goffman, formerly associate assistant administrator for climate at the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Air and Radiation. "They show not merely indifference to climate change but really, opposition to doing anything about climate change."

The American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, meanwhile, hailed the expected rule change as a win. "We're certainly pleased and supportive of the administration rolling back what we thought were harmful regulations," said the organization's president, Michelle Bloodworth. "It's a step in the right direction."