# War On Coal Plants Is Real, And Here’s Who’s Winning

- Link: https://greenlivingguy.com/2015/06/the-war-on-coal-is-real-and-heres-whos-winning/
- Published: 2015-06-14T00:34:09-04:00
- Author: greenlivingguy

## The War on Coal Plants Is Real — And Here’s Who’s Winning

A war is being waged on coal plants. For coal plants once defined America’s power
system. It fueled factories, powered homes, and dominated the electricity market
for more than a century. Yet today, the industry faces a decline that even the most
powerful utilities and lobbyists cannot ignore. The “war on coal,” a phrase often
used by its defenders, is no myth. It is happening in real time. And the surprising
victor is not just natural gas or renewable energy. It’s also a grassroots environmental
movement that has relentlessly chipped away at coal’s dominance.

At the center of this campaign stands the [Sierra Club](https://www.sierraclub.org/).
With persistence, lawyering, and local activism, the group has driven nearly 200
coal plants into retirement in just over a decade. While the fight rarely dominates
headlines, it is reshaping America’s energy system from the ground up.

![A person holds a large banner reading &aposbeyond coal&apos in front of industrial
smokestacks emitting white smoke against a clear sky](https://i0.wp.com/greenlivingguy.
com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/IMG_5573.webp?resize=400%2C300&quality=50&ssl=1 "
IMG_5573 - The Green Living Guy")

A protester holding a Beyond Coal banner in front of [coal power](https://greenlivingguy.com/2019/09/solar-power-will-kill-coal-faster-than-you-think-via-bloomberg-new-energy-finance/)
plants symbolizing the push for cleaner energy sources

### How Coal Became the Target

Coal has long been America’s dirtiest fuel. Burning coal releases carbon dioxide,
sulfur dioxide, mercury, and particulate matter. These pollutants drive climate 
change, smog, and respiratory illness. For decades, environmentalists highlighted
the dangers, but industry power blocked most reforms.

However, the landscape shifted in the 2000s. Climate science gained urgency. Communities
near coal plants demanded cleaner air. Meanwhile, renewable energy technologies 
like solar and wind became cheaper. Natural gas surged due to fracking. Suddenly,
coal looked not just dirty but outdated.

Therefore, activists realized they had a unique opening. Instead of fighting the
entire fossil fuel system at once, they zeroed in on coal — the dirtiest and most
vulnerable player in the mix.

### The Sierra Club’s “Beyond Coal” Strategy

The Sierra Club launched its [“Beyond Coal” campaign](https://content.sierraclub.org/coal/)
in the mid-2000s. The strategy was straightforward yet bold. Target coal plants 
one at a time. File lawsuits. Pressure regulators. Mobilize local communities. Build
coalitions of health experts, parents, and clean energy advocates.

![A young activist enthusiastically holds a red banner reading &aposbeyond coal&
apos in front of coal power plants emitting smoke](https://i0.wp.com/greenlivingguy.
com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/IMG_5574.webp?resize=400%2C300&quality=50&ssl=1 "
IMG_5574 - The Green Living Guy")

A passionate advocate holds a Beyond Coal banner symbolizing the grassroots movement
against coal dependency and calling for cleaner energy solutions

As a result, the campaign rarely made national news. Yet its victories stacked up.
Every time one coal plant closed, emissions dropped. Every time a new project was
canceled, renewables gained ground. By 2015, the Sierra Club had helped block or
retire nearly 200 plants — almost half the coal fleet.

### Courtrooms, Not Congress

Congress often stalls on climate action. But the Sierra Club knew courts and state
regulators could be more decisive. Attorneys challenged permits, emissions levels,
and water usage. They argued that coal plants violated health standards or endangered
local communities.

Moreover, many cases drew on the [Clean Air Act](https://greenlivingguy.com/2025/12/big-win-for-detroit-via-sierra-club/)
and Clean Water Act. These laws, while decades old, became powerful tools to halt
new coal projects. Judges frequently agreed that coal companies failed to meet the
requirements. As a result, permits were denied, timelines extended, and companies
abandoned costly proposals.

This under-the-radar strategy avoided Washington gridlock. Instead, it attacked 
coal at the state and local level, where decisions directly impacted plants.

### Communities on the Front Lines

The campaign succeeded because it put people first. Parents worried about their 
children’s asthma. Farmers fought toxic water runoff. City leaders wanted cleaner
air to attract new businesses.

![A person holding a banner that reads &aposbeyond coal&apos in front of coal power
plant smokestacks emitting vapor into the sky](https://i0.wp.com/greenlivingguy.
com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/IMG_5575.webp?resize=400%2C300&quality=50&ssl=1 "
IMG_5575 - The Green Living Guy")

A protester holds a Beyond Coal banner in front of coal plants representing the 
grassroots movement against coal dependence

In towns across the Midwest, Appalachia, and the South, activists reframed the debate.
This War on Coal Plants isn’t just about jobs. It’s about health, safety, and long-
term prosperity.

Therefore, when residents spoke at public hearings, they weren’t just quoting statistics.
They shared lived experiences of illness, premature deaths, and environmental damage.
That human connection often swayed regulators and courts.

### Coal’s Economic Decline

At the same time, coal faced market pressures. Natural gas became cheaper. Wind 
and solar saw massive investment. Utilities began to see coal as a financial liability.
Plants were expensive to maintain. Retrofits to meet pollution rules cost billions.

As a result, companies quietly began retiring plants early. They canceled new projects.
They shifted investments into cleaner sources.

The Sierra Club’s activism added legal and political pressure to this economic squeeze.
Together, they accelerated coal’s collapse.

### Winners and Losers

So who’s winning the war on coal?

 * Environmentalists: The Sierra Club and its allies proved that grassroots activism
   can beat one of the most powerful industries in history.
 * Clean Energy: Renewables are surging, with costs dropping each year. Solar, wind,
   and storage are increasingly cheaper than coal.
 * Public Health: Communities near retired plants breathe cleaner air. Rates of 
   asthma and other illnesses drop when coal goes offline.

Yet there are also losers. Coal miners and communities dependent on coal jobs face
economic devastation. Transition plans are often underfunded. While clean energy
creates jobs, they are not always in the same places or require the same skills.

### The Role of Policy

Federal policy played a mixed role. The Obama administration introduced rules like
the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, which made coal plants more expensive to operate.
Later, the [Clean Power Plan](https://www.epa.gov/cleanpowerplan) aimed to limit
carbon emissions.

However, legal battles and political opposition weakened these rules. Still, the
Sierra Club’s decentralized strategy meant coal’s decline continued even without
sweeping federal mandates.

![A person holding a banner that reads &aposbeyond coal&apos in front of smokestacks
emitting smoke symbolizing the war and movement against coal energy](https://i0.
wp.com/greenlivingguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/IMG_5576.webp?resize=400%2C300&
quality=50&ssl=1 "IMG_5576 - The Green Living Guy")

A protester holds a banner reading BEYOND COAL in front of coal power plants emitting
smoke symbolizing the movement against coal reliance

## Lessons for Future Climate Battles

The campaign against coal offers critical lessons. First, focus matters. Instead
of tackling the entire fossil fuel industry, activists concentrated on the weakest
link. Second, local action adds up. Victories in small towns eventually reshape 
national markets. Third, persistence pays off. The Sierra Club’s lawyers and organizers
fought case after case for more than a decade.

Therefore, the war on coal may become a model for future fights against oil and 
gas.

### A Turning Point for America’s Energy System

Coal now supplies less than 20% of U.S. electricity, down from nearly 50% in 2005.
Renewables and natural gas dominate new projects. Utilities are planning for a carbon-
free future.

This shift is not just about climate. It’s about economics, technology, and public
health. Face it, the war on coal plants is winning. Coal is losing on every front.

## The Green Living Guy Take

As the author of [Build Your Own Electric Vehicle](https://www.amazon.com/Build-Your-Own-Electric-Vehicle/dp/0071770569)
and [Green Lighting](https://www.amazon.com/Green-Lighting-Green-Guru-Guides/dp/0071625078),
I’ve seen how clean technology changes markets. The fall of coal mirrors the rise
of EVs, solar panels, and efficiency upgrades. When people demand cleaner options
and innovators deliver, old industries crumble.

Moreover, this story shows the power of persistence. Environmental change rarely
happens overnight. It happens plant by plant, community by community, until the 
entire system shifts.

### Conclusion: The War Isn’t Over

The war on coal is real. The Sierra Club and clean energy have won major battles.
Yet the fight continues. Millions still live near polluting plants. Communities 
tied to coal need just transitions. And climate change demands even faster action.

However, the trajectory is clear. Coal’s grip on America is broken. The future belongs
to cleaner, safer, and more sustainable energy.

**For the entire story at Politico** [http://politi.co/1cZdt5N](https://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2015/05/inside-war-on-coal-000002/)

[⌊Silhouette of cooling towers emitting smoke against a vibrant orange sunset.⌉⌊
Silhouette of cooling towers emitting smoke against a vibrant orange sunset.⌉[

Pollution from coal plants against a dramatic sunset backdrop.

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 greenlivingguy

 The Green Living Guy, Seth Leitman is an independent power producer, a green living
expert, and Editor of the McGraw-Hill, TAB Green Guru Guides. Seth is also an Author,
Radio Host, Reporter, Writer and an Environmental Consultant on green living. The
Green Living Guy writes about green living, green lighting, the green guru guides
and more. Seth's books range from: # Build Your Own Electric Vehicle by Bob Brant
and Seth Leitman (2nd and 3rd editions) # Build Your Own Plug-in Hybrid Electric
Vehicle by Seth Leitman # Build Your Own Electric Motorcycle by Carl Vogel # Green
Lighting by Seth Leitman, Brian Clark Howard and Bill Brinsky # Solar Power For 
Your Home by David Findley # Renewable Energies For Your Home by Russel Gehrke #
Do-it-Yourself Home Energy Audits by David Findley # Build Your Own Small Wind Power
System by Brian Clark Howard and Kevin Shea # and more green living books to follow.

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