Indiana Chamber Rejects Pruitt Effort To Keep Coal-Fired Plants Online

"The leading business lobby group in Indiana on Monday rejected a plea from former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt to back legislation that would keep aging coal-fired power plants online because it would raise electricity rates for local businesses and homeowners.

The Indiana Chamber of Commerce took the unusual step of calling out Pruitt and Rail Point - a coal company with whom he has registered as a lobbyist - for pressuring local lawmakers to block utilities Vectren Corp and the Northern Indiana Public Service Co (NIPSCO) from shutting their remaining coal plants and replacing their generation capacity with natural gas and renewables.

Hallador Energy Co, the parent of Rail Point, on Saturday announced it hired Pruitt, who resigned as the head of the EPA amid a series of ethics investigations, as a lobbyist who is calling on the state legislature to put a moratorium on new utility generation purchases."

Valerie Volcovici reports for Reuters April 22, 2019.

SEE ALSO:

"Scott Pruitt's Mission: Keep Ind. Coal-Fired Power Alive" (Greenwire)

"Scott Pruitt Left the EPA Mired In Scandal. Now He Is Lobbying Indiana Lawmakers." (Indianapolis Star)

Source: Reuters, 04/23/2019