The Environmental Protection Agency is opposing Colorado's plan to close its remaining coal-fired power plants by 2031.

What's happening?

In a preliminary decision released in the Federal Register on July 16, the EPA detailed its argument that the closure of a few remaining coal plants in Colorado would violate federal law and could negatively impact grid reliability.

According to The Colorado Sun, there are six coal-fired power plants still operating in the state. In an effort to transition to clean and renewable energy sources, the plants were set to close by 2031.

A spokesperson for Colorado Springs Utilities noted that, although the closure date of the Nixon 1 coal plant has not officially changed, the EPA's decision could complicate things in the near future.

"Moving forward with the 2029 date poses serious reliability challenges, and we are in discussions with the state on how best to address this," they told the Sun.

According to Cyrus Western, the EPA Mountains and Plains Regional Administrator, those discussions are of no concern to the agency.

"Whatever the conversations that go on between the state of Colorado and those utilities, that's their business," Western explained, per the Sun. "But we've made it really clear that these shutdowns are not going to happen on our watch, and the Clean Air Act does not allow for these federal steps to be shut down against the will of the power generation owner."

Why is the EPA's decision important?

The EPA's stance could allow plant operators more flexibility to keep plants running well past the state's original deadline. The agency noted that its "partial disapproval" of Colorado's long-term strategy does not align with the Trump administration's push for increased energy production. This could throw a wrench into many of the State Implementation Plans throughout Colorado, raising questions over future air quality standards.

Jeremy Nichols, a senior advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity, expressed disappointment in the EPA's decision.

"There's every reason to be concerned that this proposal could be the opening salvo of a broader attack on Colorado's efforts to move away from costly and dirty coal," Nichols told the Sun. "This is a major slap in the face to the state's ability to protect clean air on its terms."

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Coal power plants have long been considered to be significant contributors to air pollution and public health problems. Burning coal releases gases such as carbon dioxide, which leads to the increasing global temperature.

Coal plants also emit harmful pollutants, including sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and other fine particulate matter, which can lead to respiratory illnesses and other health concerns.

What's being done about Colorado's push for energy alternatives?

Despite the apparent roadblock, air pollution experts in Colorado remain optimistic that utility companies in the state will continue to transition to renewable resources. Michael Ogletree, a director of the state's Air Pollution Control Division, said that companies had begun to shift away from coal long before the EPA's recent decision.

"Utilities are moving away from coal because it's no longer the most affordable or reliable option," Ogletree told the Sun. "Many coal plants have already shut down or are on track to retire, driven by economics and cost savings for consumers, not federal mandates."

According to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Colorado had 11 coal-powered plants in operation in 2015. These plants were responsible for around 5,100 megawatts of electric generating capacity. That represented 52% of the state's entire energy production.

Less than 10 years later, coal-fired power plants accounted for just 27% of Colorado's total energy generation, per the Energy Information Administration.

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