The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission recently approved a motion that installation of new environmental controls at the Boswell Energy Center would not require an environmental assessment worksheet, allowing the project to move forward in the regulatory process.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection updated and strengthened air quality permits for coal-fired power plants across the state in response to a lawsuit from environmental groups.

The House Subcommittee on Energy and Power has requested an explanation from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) about a proposed rule change to EPA’s regional haze rule.

Global energy-related carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions reached an all-time high of 31.6 billion tons last year, a 1.4 percent increase from 2011.

Newer legislation that would set up a state-based regulatory program to regulate the disposal and management of coal combustion residuals and encourage reuse was introduced in the House of Representatives on June 3.

The Homer City Generating Station, a nearly 2 GW coal-fired power plant in Pennsylvania, will now be subject to an hourly limit for sulfur dioxide pollution.

West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin and Attorney General Patrick Morrisey announced last week the state is joining two other states in filing an amicus brief asking the U.S. Supreme court to hear a challenge to federal environmental rules.

Washington state has received 14 proposals for an outside contractor in a plan that calls for the state to look at greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Bernstein Research issued a report Monday expecting U.S. coal-fired power generation to increase this year because of higher natural gas prices, but that the trend will not continue as utilities find it less expensive to rely more on natural gas.

NRG Energy settled a 2007 lawsuit with the states of New Jersey and Connecticut that will result in the early shut down of two coal-fired units at a plant in Pennsylvania.

The U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee has scheduled a business meeting for May 16 to consider Gina McCarthy’s nomination as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

A report released by the U.S. Energy Information Association states that extending certain government policies currently in place could reduce annual energy-related carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Wisconsin settled with Wisconsin Power and Light Co. (WPL) to reduce emissions from three coal-fired power plants in the state.

A coalition of states and other government entities, led by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, has sent of a letter of intent to file a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for failing to finalize the New Source Performance Standard for new power plants.

The cost of complying with tougher Environmental Protection Agency air-quality standards could spur an increased shift away from coal and toward natural gas for electricity generation.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has delayed finalizing its New Source Performance Standard regulations for new power plants, which many people have said would have ended the construction of new coal-fired power plants in the U.S.

Gina McCarthy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency assistant administrator for Air and Radiation, told members of the U.S. Senate that she expects coal to remain an important part of the U.S. energy mix.

Gina McCarthy, President Barack Obama's nominee to serve as administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency, faced a round of difficult questions from senators April 11, but top senators still expect the Massachusetts native's confirmation to be approved.

Progress Energy Florida said in an April 1 filing with the Florida Public Service Commission that retiring units 1 and 2 at the Crystal River coal-fired power plant would be more cost effective than retrofitting them to comply with the MATS rule.