Current:Home > ScamsLast coal-burning power plant in New England set to close in a win for environmentalists-InfoLens
Last coal-burning power plant in New England set to close in a win for environmentalists
View Date:2024-12-23 15:58:11
BOSTON (AP) — The last coal-fired power plant in New England, which had been the focus of a lawsuit and protests, is set to close in a victory for environmentalists.
Granite Shore Power said Wednesday it reached an agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency to close the Merrimack Station in New Hampshire by June 2028. As part of the deal, the company said the site will be turned into the state’s first renewable energy park that host solar power and batter storage systems. The company also said it would shutter Schiller Station in Portsmouth in December 2025. That facility, which is permitted to use oil, coal and biomass, has not operated for several years.
“From our earliest days as owners and operators, we have been crystal clear; while our power occasionally is still on during New England’s warmest days and coldest nights, we were firmly committed to transitioning our facilities away from coal and into a newer, cleaner energy future,” Jim Andrews, CEO of Granite Shore Power, said in a statement. “By pursuing and ultimately entering into this voluntary agreement with the EPA, we are keeping that commitment.”
The 460-megawatt station in Bow has long been a thorn in the side of environmental groups. Most recently, the Sierra Club and the Conservation Law Foundation filed a lawsuit against plant owners, alleging it was violating the Clean Water Act. The plant was owned by Eversource until 2018, when it was sold to Connecticut-based Granite Shore Power. Both were named as defendants.
The environmental groups claimed the plant draws about 287 million gallons of water per day from the Merrimack River, heats that water as a result of its cooling process, and then discharges the water back into the river at temperatures that often exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Climate activists also protested the plant and demanded its closure over concerns it is a major source of air pollution. In one incident, climate activists last year paddled canoes and kayaks down the Merrimack River to the plant site and were arrested after going onto the property.
“This historic victory is a testament to the strength and resolve of those who never wavered in the fight for their communities and future,” Ben Jealous, Sierra Club Executive Director, said in a statement. “The people of New Hampshire and all of New England will soon breathe cleaner air and drink safer water.”
The Sierra Club said the announcement will make New Hampshire the 16th state that is coal-free and New England the second coal-free region in the country.
“Today’s announcement is the culmination of years of persistence and dedication from people across New England who knew coal was a dirty, expensive, and unreliable source of energy that would cut people’s lives short, and that a better way was possible for our economy, for our health, and for our planet,” said Gina McCarthy, Bloomberg Philanthropies Senior Advisor and former White House National Climate Advisor. “I am wicked proud to be from New England today and every day.”
veryGood! (89)
Related
- California Gov. Gavin Newsom will spend part of week in DC as he tries to Trump-proof state policies
- Family members arrested in rural Nevada over altercation that Black man says involved a racial slur
- Kelsea Ballerini announces new album, ‘Patterns.’ It isn’t what you’d expect: ‘I’m team no rules’
- Judge dismisses antisemitism lawsuit against MIT, allows one against Harvard to move ahead
- Nicky Hilton Shares Her Christmas Plans With Paris, the Secret To Perfect Skin & More Holiday Gift Picks
- Ferguson marks 10 years since Michael Brown’s death. While there’s some progress, challenges persist
- The 10 college football transfers that will have the biggest impact
- DeSantis, longtime opponent of state spending on stadiums, allocates $8 million for Inter Miami
- Conviction and 7-year sentence for Alex Murdaugh’s banker overturned in appeal of juror’s dismissal
- West Virginia corrections officers plead guilty to not intervening as colleagues fatally beat inmate
Ranking
- How Saturday Night Live Reacted to Donald Trump’s Win Over Kamala Harris
- Michelle Pfeiffer joins 'Yellowstone' universe in spinoff 'The Madison' after Kevin Costner drama
- Missouri man dies illegally BASE jumping at Grand Canyon National Park; parachute deployed
- Taylor Swift's London shows not affected by Vienna cancellations, British police say
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Mixed Use
- Rain, wind from Tropical Storm Debby wipes out day 1 of Wyndham Championship
- Google antitrust ruling may pose $20 billion risk for Apple
- 'Euphoria' star Hunter Schafer says co-star Dominic Fike cheated on her
Recommendation
-
Wind-whipped wildfire near Reno prompts evacuations but rain begins falling as crews arrive
-
Iranian brothers charged in alleged smuggling operation that led to deaths of 2 Navy SEALs
-
Ridiculousness’ Lauren “Lolo” Wood Shares Insight Into Co-Parenting With Ex Odell Beckham Jr.
-
Trump heads to Montana in a bid to oust Sen. Tester after failing to topple the Democrat in 2018
-
Volunteer firefighter accused of setting brush fire on Long Island
-
'Trad wives' controversy continues: TikTok star Nara Smith reacts to 'hateful' criticism
-
DNA on weapons implicates ex-U.S. Green Beret in attempted Venezuelan coup, federal officials say
-
Eurasian eagle-owl eaten by tiger at Minnesota Zoo after escaping handler: Reports