As Wisconsinites Struggle to Afford Utility Bills, Trump Sells Out Public Lands and Public Health to Costly Coal

MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Today, the Trump administration announced its “Coal Day 2.0” agenda, which includes opening 13.1 million acres of federal land for coal mining leases and extending compliance deadlines and rolling back safeguards against air and water pollution.

As rising energy demand from data centers continues to surge in Wisconsin, utilities like We Energies have doubled down on fossil fuels with plans to build over $2 billion worth of new gas infrastructure and continuing to delay the closure of their Oak Creek coal plant, in turn raising rates for customers and contributing to higher air pollution in the greater Milwaukee area.

“Across Wisconsin, folks are struggling to afford basic needs like keeping their lights on and heating their homes while utilities like We Energies continue to expand fossil fuel dependency, raising costs for residents and local businesses. Make no mistake: prolonging our use of coal will only continue to increase skyrocketing costs for Wisconsin residents. We need clean solutions that bolster affordability, not make our everyday lives more expensive,” said Elizabeth Ward, Sierra Club Wisconsin Chapter Director.

In the last two decades, coal mining in the U.S. has steadily declined due to innovations of renewable energy sources, and public opposition to coal due to the myriad of negative impacts coal production has on public health and the environment.

Earlier this year, the Trump administration delayed compliance of health protections for coal miners, and cut free black lung screenings for miners. The Trump administration has also begun rolling back a number of safeguards that limit toxic pollution from coal-fired power plants.

Sierra Club Chief Program Officer Holly Bender said, “The Trump administration’s reckless actions announced today will hurt the American people, all to prop up the aging and outdated coal industry. Coal power is now not only the dirtiest form of electricity, it is one of the most expensive, contributing to the rising cost of Americans’ energy bills.

“Donald Trump’s plan doesn’t just saddle us with higher bills, he wants to lease millions of acres of public lands to mining companies and further slash protections for our clean air and water. Rather than investing in clean, affordable energy to power our country, more coal will increase deadly air pollution, poison our water with harmful heavy metals, and drastically worsen the health of our loved ones.

“If this dangerous agenda continues to advance, years from now we will look around at failing health outcomes, skyrocketing bills, and a decaying environment, and there will be one man to blame: Donald Trump and his Republican enablers. But we will not stand by as this administration takes a wrecking ball to the progress we have made, we will continue to defend our health, our environment, and our futures.”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.