Michigan Coal Plant Ruling

Federal Court Rejects Energy Department Order Keeping Michigan Coal Plant Open

Federal court rules that the Energy Department exceeded its authority by keeping a Michigan coal-fired power plant open past its scheduled retirement date. The Department of Energy had argued that the 64-year-old J.H. Campbell plant was needed for reliable electricity in the region and used emergency powers to keep it operating. Environmental groups and three states, including Michigan, Illinois, and Minnesota, went to court to try to overturn orders keeping the plant online. The appeals court sided with the states and groups, stating there was no real emergency under the law.