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EPA Eyes $1.1 B Savings, Rolls Back Coal Wastewater Limits

5/15/2026

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Summary

Story summary

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposes rolling back 2024 wastewater limits for coal-fired power plants as overly costly.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin says AI data-center growth drives electricity demand that the old rules cannot meet, estimating the rollback could cut power-generation costs by up to $1.1 billion annually.
Earthjustice warns the rollback would remove safeguards on hundreds of millions of pounds of toxic wastewater.

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Story summary

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposes rolling back 2024 wastewater limits for coal-fired power plants as overly costly.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin says AI data-center growth drives electricity demand that the old rules cannot meet, estimating the rollback could cut power-generation costs by up to $1.1 billion annually.
Earthjustice warns the rollback would remove safeguards on hundreds of millions of pounds of toxic wastewater.