austin

In a nutshell:

In March of 2020, Austin City Council approved a plan to close the city-owned portion of the plant by the end of 2022. It missed this target. In the meantime, economic factors and increased demand for power in Texas have made coal power financially valuable. As a result, Austin Energy is reevaluating its transition from coal, highlighting the challenges cities face in achieving emissions reduction goals while maintaining economic viability.

Key quote:

The idea of the plant’s continued operation is disappointing to some pecan farmers near La Grange, such as Jeffrey Cook. He has claimed since around 2010 that sulfur dioxide pollution from the plant, combined with intermittent drought made worse by climate change, have caused a die-off in his orchards from around 900 trees in the 2000s to just 200 now.

“I guess it’s kind of like a cancer,” said Cook, 59, whose 158-acre pecan farm has been in his family since 1925 and sits about six miles from the power plant.

The big picture:

Shutting down the Fayette Power Plant would likely lead to a reduction in air pollution-related health risks. Coal-fired power plants are known sources of such pollutants, including sulfur dioxide and fine particulate matter, which can contribute to respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses.

Read more at The Texas Tribune.

For additional information about the benefits of transitioning away from coal, read Brian Bienkowski's piece for EHN: Want healthier babies? Shut down coal plants.