Washington, July 1 (RHC)-- In environmental news, the Donald Trump administration has replaced an Obama-era energy rule which was designed to close older coal plants and tighten emissions restrictions.  The new rules announced by the Environmental Protection Agency allow states to set regulations for emissions and decide whether coal-fired plants should make improvements.

Obama’s Clean Power Plan sought to lower carbon emissions through federal regulations, but the plan never took effect due to multiple legal challenges from energy companies and some states.

Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club said:”Trump and [EPA Administrator] Wheeler are pushing a plan that will lead to thousands of deaths while ignoring the public’s demands for aggressive climate action, just so a handful of wealthy coal executives can make a little more money.  This is an immoral and an illegal attack on clean air, clean energy, and the health of the public.”

Earlier this week, Donald Trump touted his energy policies during his first 2020 campaign rally in Florida.  Trump said: “We are creating a future of American energy independence, and yet our air and water are the cleanest they’ve ever been by far.”

Research by the American Lung Association refutes Trump’s lies.  The group found that over 4 in 10 Americans live with unhealthy air due to high levels of pollution and dangerous, climate change-induced ozone levels.  The poor air quality can cause “premature death and other serious health effects such as lung cancer, asthma attacks, cardiovascular damage, and developmental and reproductive harm,” according to the American Lung Association.