Keeping the Northside coal plant online locks Jacksonville ratepayers into higher long-term costs. Coal plants are expensive to maintain, vulnerable to fuel price swings, and increasingly uneconomic compared to clean energy alternatives. 

• The Northside Generating Station emits more than 1.27 million tons of carbon pollution every year, along with sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides that increase health and environmental costs borne by the public. 
• Independent analysis has shown that replacing coal generation with clean energy like solar and efficiency is significantly cheaper than continuing to run aging coal units. 
• After the closure of St. Johns River Power Park, Northside became responsible for roughly 60% of JEA's local greenhouse gas emissions, making it a major driver of future cost and climate risk for Jacksonville customers. 

Jacksonville should not be paying more to prop up outdated fossil fuel infrastructure when cleaner, lower-cost options are available right now. 

Health Impacts in Jacksonville 

Our Air. Our health. Our Responsibility. Coal pollution directly harms the health of Jacksonville residents. 

Emissions from Northside contribute to air pollutants known to cause: 

• Asthma attacks and respiratory illness 
• Heart disease and premature death 
• Missed school days for children and lost work days for families

Jacksonville monitors pollutants such as fine particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and ozone, all linked to coal and fossil fuel combustion, and all associated with serious health risks. 

These impacts are not abstract. They affect real people in real neighborhoods, particularly communities closest to industrial facilities and families already facing economic and health challenges. 

Clean energy means cleaner air and healthier lives for Jacksonville.

Jacksonville can do better than coal. 

Across Florida and the country, utilities are retiring coal plants and replacing them with solar power paired with battery storage, energy efficiency programs that lower bills, and modern grid solutions that improve reliability.

These solutions are already delivering lower costs and cleaner air without exposing customers to fuel price volatility or long-term financial risk. Jacksonville deserves an energy future that works for people, not polluters.

Sierra Club's Beyond Coal campaign is calling on JEA to:

• Commit to a clear timeline to retire the Northside coal units
• Prioritize affordable, clean energy investments over fossil fuels
• Protect ratepayers from unnecessary long-term costs
• Ensure a just transition for workers and impacted communities

This is about accountability, affordability, and health for everyone who calls Jacksonville home.

Your voice matters. 

Together, we can push JEA to move beyond coal and invest in a cleaner, healthier future. Join us to fight for a cleaner and healthier Jacksonville by:  

• Sign the petition to retire the Northside coal plant
• Tell JEA and city leaders to put people over polluting fuels
• Stay informed about upcoming meetings and opportunities to speak out