So Much For Coal’s Rebound-Plant Closures Are Roaring Back. Smart Policy Must Unlock A Just Transition.

So Much For Coal’s Rebound-Plant Closures Are Roaring Back. Smart Policy Must Unlock A Just Transition.

Share to Linkedin Coal roared back to life in 2021, showing it will be part of our energy mix for years to come. Or, at least that's what industry proponents say. Even though the Ukraine invasion has given coal executives a macabre opportunity to use war for self-promotion, 2021's rebound was just a fleeting respite from coal's continuing crash – plant closures are once again accelerating across the United States. FirstEnergy Completes Demolition of R. E. Burger Power Station. Image via FirstEnergy Flickr account. ... [+] Attribution-NoDerivs 2. 0 Generic (CC BY-ND 2. 0) The fundamentals of coal's decline are unequivocal: It simply costs more to dig up rocks, crush them into powder, and burn them for power than it costs to generate clean energy. This is especially true when environmental costs come into play – utilities can't economically justify keeping plants open. Of course, the climate imperative of closing coal plants is clear – the pollution they belch into our atmosphere causes unprecedented warming, makes extreme weather impacts more devasting to our communities, and harms our health. But America's transition from coal to clean is also a watershed moment in our history to generate good jobs for workers dependent