EPA rolls back rules to support Wyoming coal power plants

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Trump administration is implementing regulatory rollbacks designed to support the coal industry and extend the operational life of coal-fired power plants. Cyrus Weston, who heads the EPA office in Denver, noted that the agency is working to reverse what he described as damage caused to coal mines and power plants by the previous administration.

A primary focus of these changes is the Dave Johnston power plant near Glenrock, Wyoming. Under previous Biden administration policies, PacifiCorp was expected to shut down Unit 3 by the end of 2027 due to Obama-era regional haze requirements. However, new rules proposed by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and President Trump aim to roll back those requirements, potentially allowing the generator to remain operational until approximately 2048.

Additionally, discussions regarding the development of hyperscale data centers in Wyoming indicate that while new facilities must comply with power generation rules, the EPA intends to avoid excessive federal bureaucracy, leaving most decisions to local governments.