Montana News
Two Colstrip owners ask the Supreme Court to pause new EPA emissions standards
With Montana News, I'm Eleanor Smith, two of the energy companies that own coal strip want the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene and pause new federal emission standards passed earlier this year. MTPR's Ellis Julin has more. Northwestern Energy and Talon, Montana are asking the country's highest court to put a temporary block on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's standards to limit the amount of harmful pollutants that can be emitted by coal-fired power plants. The company's estimate it would cost at least $350 million to get the plant into compliance. They say that jeopardizes its future. Several dozen Republican attorneys general asked the court to put the rules on hold in July. However, health professionals, clean energy advocates, and members of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe have supported the changes. According to the EPA, 93 percent of coal-fired power plants in the country are already able to meet these standards. In Missoula, I'm Ellis Julin.