Federal Appeals Court Rules DOE Exceeded Authority in Keeping Michigan Coal Plant Open
A federal appeals court has ruled that the Department of Energy (DOE) overstepped its authority by using emergency powers to keep the J.H. Campbell coal plant in West Olive, Michigan, operational. The plant was slated for retirement in May, but the Trump administration intervened, citing potential grid outages and increased electricity demand from data centers as justification under the Federal Power Act. However, the D.C. Circuit Court rejected this reasoning, with Judge Cornelia Pillard stating that the emergency statute is a "narrow, last-resort backstop." This decision marks one of the first successful court challenges against President Trump's use of "energy emergency" powers. According to Grist, the plant's continued operation has resulted in significant environmental costs, including the release of approximately 1,000 tons of nitrogen oxides, 2,000 tons of sulfur dioxide, and 140 tons of particulate matter, and has incurred $259 million in costs that Consumers Energy seeks to recover from ratepayers...
