Melissa Williams, melissa.williams@sierraclub.org
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana House today passed HB 1414, a bill that would require the state’s utility regulatory commission to approve coal plant closures. The bill would also let electric utilities recover the costs for more coal, thereby incentivizing them to buy more coal and pass that cost onto customers.
A diverse coalition of representatives from grassroots environmental groups, economic justice organizations, and those representing consumers, energy associations and the petroleum industry, joined together to oppose the bill, which would keep coal burning in Indiana — which has more Super Polluter coal plants than any other state — for generations to come.
The bill now moves to the Senate.
In response, Wendy Bredhold, senior campaign representative for the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign in Indiana, released the following statement:
“This shameful, unnecessary bill props up an outdated, expensive, polluting industry at the expense of everyday families and businesses. House members who voted for this measure would slow our transition to clean energy while making us pay higher bills.
“Our electric bills are already too high. We’ll work hard to make sure the Senate does right by the people they’re elected to serve by voting down this bill that benefits only the coal industry and not regular Hoosiers.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.