fossil fuels
Newsletter
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Coal stockpiles strain US power sector as demand wanes
Massive coal reserves are sitting unused at U.S. power plants, creating financial challenges amid lower demand for coal-fired energy.
In short:
- Power plants have amassed 138 million tons of coal, valued at $6.5 billion, due to declining coal consumption.
- Competition from cheaper natural gas and renewable energy has made coal-fired electricity less viable.
- U.S. coal-burning has halved since 2015, with further declines anticipated as more coal plants retire by 2025.
Key quote:
“No power producer wants that much money idly sitting around. But it has become much harder to burn that coal without losing money.”
— Report authors, Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis
Why this matters:
As renewable energy becomes more dominant, coal-fired power continues to decline. This shift impacts utilities, miners and the broader economy. Managing excess coal stockpiles could lead to reduced coal production, affecting jobs and energy markets.
Related EHN coverage:
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Wisconsin oil spill fuels doubts over Enbridge’s pipeline safety
A recent Enbridge oil spill in Wisconsin has intensified concerns about the safety of the company’s Line 5 pipeline project, despite state assurances of minimal risk.
In short:
- Enbridge’s Line 6 pipeline leaked nearly 70,000 gallons of oil in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, raising questions about spill detection and response.
- The spill occurred just days before state officials approved permits for the controversial Line 5 project.
- The Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and environmental groups are challenging these permits, citing ongoing trust issues and environmental risks.
Key quote:
“The close to 70,000 gallons of leaking crude oil from Enbridge’s Line 6 in Jefferson County shows why we have challenged DNR’s approval of the Line 5 reroute and why we have specifically challenged DNR’s conclusion that the risk of a Line 5 spill is small.”
— Tony Wilkin Gibart, executive director of Midwest Environmental Advocates
Why this matters:
Oil spills threaten ecosystems, water sources and Indigenous lands. Recent incidents suggest pipeline safety measures are unreliable, raising broader concerns over fossil fuel infrastructure and environmental justice.
Read more: Why Indigenous women are risking arrest to fight Enbridge’s Line 3 pipeline through Minnesota
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Australian government backs coal expansions
The Albanese government approved four coal mine expansions in New South Wales and Queensland, sparking outrage from climate groups over the potential release of 850 million tonnes of CO2.
In short:
- The expansions will produce coal primarily for steelmaking, with some thermal coal for power plants.
- Critics argue the move undermines Australia's climate goals and risks more extreme weather events.
- Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek says the projects are essential for steel production and will create up to 3,000 jobs.
Key quote:
“Australia’s commitment to climate destruction makes a mockery of the ‘family’ they claim to call the Pacific.”
— Joseph Sikulu, 350.org Pacific
Why this matters:
Despite aiming for net-zero emissions by 2050, Australia’s approval of these projects complicates its role as a climate leader. The emissions from burning coal overseas threaten Pacific nations already vulnerable to climate change. Environmental damage to endangered species’ habitats raises further concerns.
Related: Australia’s renewable energy aspirations face hurdles
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Petrochemical plants send millions of pounds of pollutants into waterways each year: Report
“This is not normal.”
Nearly 70 petrochemical companies across the nation, including 30 in Texas, are sending millions of pounds of pollutants into waterways each year due to weak or nonexistent regulations, according to a report published by the watchdog group Environmental Integrity Project.
The report analyzed wastewater discharges from petrochemical companies that produce plastics across the U.S., finding that a majority of the facilities had violated Clean Water Act permits and few were punished. In addition, only a few states are regulating some of the hazardous chemicals or substances of concern, and there are currently no limits set from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for these contaminants in effluent water guidelines for the plastics industry.
In the past 30 years, plastic production at petrochemical facilities has skyrocketed. The EPA estimates that plastic production in 1990 was at 17,130 tons, and by 2018 it had doubled, reaching 35,680 tons. Producing these plastics results in industrial wastewater discharges, some of which contain pollutants unregulated by federal wastewater guidelines. If the pollutant does have limits, they have been set by individual states.
The report found the following pollutants:
- Dioxins, recognized as one of the most toxic classes of compounds by the World Health Organization, can be a byproduct of producing plastics like poly-vinyl chloride, or PVC. Out of the 17 facilities that produce PVC, only three have site limits set by states.
- 1,4 dioxane, classified as a potential carcinogen, only had limits set at two facilities.
- An estimated 9.9 million pounds of nitrogen and 1.9 million pounds of phosphorus (known as nutrient pollution when combined) enter waterways from these plants annually, and can cause toxic algal blooms and fish-killing low-oxygen zones. Only one facility had limits for phosphorus pollution and none had total nitrogen limits.
- Plastic pellets, known as nurdles, are entering waterways in 27 states.
- Polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are not currently considered in wastewater samples for petrochemical plant permit applications.
A majority of the facilities have poor compliance records. Out of the 70 facilities, 83% had violated the Clean Water Act at least once in the last three years (58 facilities violated permits, yet only 8 were penalized). Nearly 40% of the facilities were operating on water pollution control permits that are outdated, “but have been administratively continued by state agencies,” according to the report.
Outdated Clean Water Act regulations
The Clean Water Act, issued by the EPA in 1972, has historically been enforced through effluent water guidelines. The petrochemical facilities in the report are regulated under a category of guidelines for organic chemicals, plastics and synthetic fibers.
“The (plastics) industry has experienced significant, rapid growth in recent decades and is continuing to grow,” lead author of the report and research director at the Environmental Integrity Project, Kira Dunham, told EHN. “But…wastewater discharges are being regulated by standards from over 30 years ago.”
This category of guidelines Dunham mentions has not been updated by the EPA since 1993, despite requirements for the agency to “periodically” update guidelines in accordance with technological updates for pollution control.Texas petrochemical pollution
With 17 of the 30 facilities in Texas, the Houston area — known as the petrochemical capital of the U.S. — is the number one exporter of petrochemicals in the nation.
Nearly one-third of these Texas facilities discharge wastewater into the Houston Ship Channel. Earlier this year, EHN investigated community member concerns about wastewater contamination potentially entering dredge material removed from the channel. Independent analysis from Healthy Port Communities, a collaborative of Houston-based environmental groups, noted high levels of dioxins in the soil surrounding dredge material.
“Some of the places touched on in the (Environmental Integrity Project’s) report might have one major facility that has this… pattern of discharging pollutants into waterways,” Kristen Schlemmer, senior legal director of Houston- based water justice group Bayou City Waterkeeper, told EHN. “I don't want to discount that … but it at least makes it clear who you can focus on to address the problem. Whereas in Houston, we have so many different facilities that are polluting into our waterways, that it often just makes it seem like that's normal, and that's just the way things are going to be.”
Schlemmer added that these concerns for pollution related to wastewater discharges are heightened by disasters, like this year’s derecho storm and Hurricane Beryl, in which water grows contaminated across large portions of the region. Beyond climate disasters, the Houston region is prone to chemical disasters and the state averages about one chemical release a week based on 2023 data.
“I'm hoping through this work to show that this is not normal, and (to) raise the bar in terms of what our expectations are for the facilities that live in our backyards,” Schlemmer said. “If they're not going to comply with the law …I want them to … know that they're going to be facing legal action, either from us or for government regulators.”
Earlier this year, the Environmental Integrity Project sued the EPA along with Bayou City Water Keeper, the Center for Biological Diversity and nearly 300 water justice groups in the Waterkeeper Alliance. In the original intent to sue, the group states that the EPA “has failed to perform its mandatory duty under (the Clean Water Act) ... to biennially submit state water quality reports and an analysis thereof … to Congress.”
Just last week, the EPA released its biannual preliminary plan for effluent limitations guidelines and the announcement states that the EPA plans to conduct new studies that will clarify the impact of discharges from certain industries on waterways. The plan is open for public comment here.
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World court weighs climate responsibility of wealthy nations
The International Court of Justice is reviewing requests from developing nations to define the legal obligations of wealthier countries whose emissions have driven climate change.
In short:
- Developing nations, led by Vanuatu, are asking the ICJ to clarify whether wealthy countries should face legal consequences for climate-related damages.
- Richer countries acknowledge their role in emissions but argue the Paris Agreement, not courts, should govern international climate action.
- The court’s advisory opinion, expected in 2025, could influence future national and international climate policies.
Key quote:
“If one uses, or allows their property to be used, in a manner to cause harm to another, that harm must be stopped and reparations paid in full.”
— Ernestine K. Rengiil, Palau Attorney General
Why this matters:
Developing nations suffer most from a climate crisis they didn’t cause. A legal precedent holding wealthier nations accountable could spur meaningful emissions cuts and climate reparations, reshaping global climate justice.
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Global coal consumption hits new highs
Coal use worldwide is projected to peak at 8.7 billion tons this year, driven by energy demand spikes following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In short:
- The International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts coal consumption will hit 8.77 billion tons in 2024, remaining high until 2027.
- China's coal demand, making up 30% more than the rest of the world combined, is expected to rise by 1% this year.
- Renewable energy growth may stabilize coal use, but demand in developing countries is still increasing due to the gas crisis.
Key quote:
“The rapid deployment of clean energy technologies is reshaping the global electricity sector, which accounts for two-thirds of the world’s coal use. As a result, our models show global demand for coal plateauing through 2027 even as electricity consumption rises sharply.”
— Keisuke Sadamori, IEA director of energy markets and security
Why this matters:
The surge in coal use reverses climate progress and increases greenhouse gas emissions. While developed nations move away from coal, rising demand in China and India underscores the challenge of transitioning to clean energy globally.
Meanwhile in the U.S.:
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Fossil fuel cuts, not just renewables, needed to avoid climate disaster
Experts warn that while renewable energy is growing rapidly, only significant reductions in fossil fuel use can prevent catastrophic climate change and environmental collapse.
In short:
- Despite rapid expansion of solar, wind and electric vehicles, fossil fuel use hit record highs in 2023, increasing global emissions.
- Mining for renewable energy components is environmentally destructive, contributing to six planetary boundaries already in crisis.
- Indigenous knowledge offers a model for sustainability by emphasizing restraint, integration with nature and reducing consumption.
Key quote:
“We have solutions to scale down our use of coal, oil and gas. We know how to feed humanity from sustainable food systems, that largely bring us back into the [safe zone for] planetary boundaries, the safe space for nitrogen, phosphorous, freshwater, land and biodiversity.”
— Johan Rockström, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
Why this matters:
Transitioning to renewables isn’t enough without slashing fossil fuel use and reducing overall consumption. Failing to act decisively threatens a sixth mass extinction and irreversible environmental damage.
Related: Activists urge insurers to cut ties with fossil fuels in London protests
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