Latest news with #MATS
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Trump's 2-year reprieve gives coal plants ‘a free pass to pollute'
Published by WWNO, Grist. Last year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency gave this country's nearly 200 remaining coal-fired power plants until 2027 to install or improve air quality monitoring devices on smokestacks to meet federal guidelines to cut hazardous pollutants including mercury, arsenic, lead and particulate matter. But through executive action, President Donald Trump last month granted a two-year reprieve to some of those plants from the strengthened Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS), which required continuous monitoring of air pollutants. It is part of Trump's continuing efforts to boost fossil fuel use and undermine President Joe Biden's push to reduce threats from climate change and improve the health of people living in communities plagued by industrial pollution. The exemption applies to roughly one-third of all U.S. coal plants. These toxic and hazardous emissions have been tied to cancer, neurological damage and developmental disorders, 'even at extremely low levels of exposure,' said Margie Kelly, a spokeswoman for the Natural Resources Defense Council, calling the two-year pause 'a free pass to pollute.' 'We're looking at a two-year extension as (a) step … to get rid of these mercury and particulate matter standards and get rid of the continuous emissions monitoring requirement altogether,' said Joseph Goffman, a former assistant administrator of the EPA's Office of Air and Radiation under Biden. The extension, which was among the list of deregulatory actions announced by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, has drawn strong criticism from environmental groups, including those in Louisiana where three coal-powered plants still operate. Burning fossil fuels to generate electricity is one of the top contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. The state's largest electric provider, which owns one coal plant and shares ownership of a second — has said it already complies with the existing standards and plans to retire its coal-powered generation in the next five years. But advocates worry the shift in the country's regulatory landscape will worsen health risks for fenceline communities — and that promises to shutter coal plants could be reversed — as projected electrical demand continues to sharply rise. 'I think that it would be a mistake for us to rely on a corporation to do the right thing just because they want to,' said Emory Hopkins, organizer for the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal Campaign in Louisiana. 'I think something that might be worth noting is that we're looking at a lot of load growth in the coming years, which is a lot more electric demand, energy demand,' primarily from data centers, Hopkins said. In his executive order, Trump said granting the two-year extension would safeguard the nation's power supply by not forcing electric companies to comply with 'unattainable' emissions standards. The EPA under Trump now says the enhanced MATS rule would cause 'regulatory uncertainty' for many U.S. coal plants. After Trump's action, the Tennessee Valley Authority, a federal utility that generates power to seven states, announced it plans to walk back commitments to retire coal-powered plants by 2035. By the EPA's current estimates, the strengthened MATS rule would cost energy companies more than $790 million over 10 years. Trump's order stated that many coal-fired power plants were at risk of shutting down to meet the compliance standards, which would have led to significant job losses and weakened the country's electrical grid. In reality, coal-powered plants were already on the decline due to cheaper sources for electric power generation including natural gas, wind and solar — the latter two being the preferred option for greenhouse gas reduction. Goffman said the MATS rule changes were projected to reduce mercury emissions by 1,000 pounds. The World Health Organization has said even in small doses, mercury can cause serious health complications to a person's nervous, digestive and immune systems. Goffman added that the changes passed by the Biden administration last year incorporated advances in filtering out particulates, which were not available when the mercury rules were first enacted in 2012. The enhanced MATS rule would have reduced particulate matter by 770 tons, and carbon dioxide — a potent greenhouse gas — by 65,000 tons by 2028, resulting in millions of dollars in benefits to human health and the climate, he said. 'If there's one pollutant that you would worry about more than any other, when it comes to making people sick and killing them, it's fine particles,' he said. 'So within reason, the more you can cut fine particles, the better off everyone's health is going to be.' Biden's EPA also projected there would be little cost to electricity customers. The agency under Biden also said no coal-fired plants would be forced to shut down, and there would have been no major disruptions to energy production. 'I want to emphasize that these rules were not intended to prompt coal plants to shut down,' Goffman said. 'The Clean Air Act doesn't authorize EPA's regulations to do that, and the EPA certainly performed its analysis of the MATS requirements on the assumption that these plants would, and in many cases might need to, keep operating.' The Sierra Club, a nationwide grassroots environmental organization, noted in a 2020 report that coal-fired power plants in Louisiana accounted for just 8% of the state's electric power but were to blame for an estimated 51 deaths and 349 asthma attacks annually. The Roy S. Nelson, a coal-fired plant mostly owned by Entergy Louisiana in Lake Charles, has the largest number of people in the state living within a 12-mile radius — a population of about 153,000. Michael Tritico, a local environmental advocate who grew up in Lake Charles, said people there rarely oppose Entergy Louisiana, or any of the industrial facilities, despite the impacts to their health. 'The company always gets what it wants, and the neighbors never stand up,' he said. 'They figure industry is their bread and butter, so they let it go.' Brandon Scardigli, spokesman for Entergy Louisiana, said the company remains committed to ending its coal-generated power by the end of 2030. And as for its Nelson plant, he said it will continue to operate under the current MATS standards until then. 'This exemption does not change the applicable EPA standard for mercury emissions control, and Nelson 6 will continue to operate in compliance with this standard,' he said. 'We have continued to maintain and operate Nelson 6 in compliance with existing environmental regulations.' Joshua Smith, a senior attorney with the Sierra Club's Environmental Law Program, said it will be important to press the company to keep those promises to an area already facing increased pollution. 'That Lake Charles area is already facing a pretty big buildout of liquified natural gas facilities and other types of industry,' Smith said. 'In general with these kinds of facilities, if they're given flexibility and latitude, they'll take it.' Smith added that the Sierra Club is exploring legal actions it can take to push back against the exemption, which could be extended beyond two years if Trump wants. 'I think it's a pretty destructive use of executive privilege,' he said. 'What's happening here is the (Trump administration) is allowing these facilities to pollute more at the very tail end of their life … (and) damaging the community that has already been bearing the brunt of the pollution for the better part of 40 or 50 years. 'It's just like one more kick in the teeth on the way out the door.' Floodlight is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates the powers stalling climate action.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
As Trump administration eases EPA regulations, Houston could pay a price
Washington — Since President Trump took office in January, his Environmental Protection Agency has been both slashing and reconsidering dozens of rules designed to fight pollution. The White House is also firing many of the EPA staffers who enforce the rules that remain. This week, CBS News visited a Houston neighborhood that's near an NRG Energy coal-fired power plant, the largest in Texas. When CBS News visited the same neighborhood in December, Mr. Trump had just been elected to a second term, promising the energy industry that he would roll back environmental regulations that protect air quality. "I think of pollution as a silent and invisible killer," Dr. Winston Liaw, chair of the Health Systems and Population Health Sciences Department at the University of Houston, told CBS News. Liaw treats patients who run a higher risk of lung disease, asthma and heart attacks due to emissions from oil refineries, chemical plants and coal plants in the Houston area. He explained how the air in Houston can impact human health. "There are these tiny particles, and they're so small that they bypass a lot of our defenses," Liaw said. "And then they start injuring all sorts of tissue in our body." A 2018 study from Rice University found that pollution from the NRG plant contributes to 177 premature deaths per year. In April, the Trump administration gave 68 plants — including the NRG plant in the Rice study — a two-year exemption from complying with federal regulations intended to lower mercury emissions, a powerful toxin that can affect the brain. CBS News analyzed the Trump administration's exemptions and found that nearly 65% of these plants are located within 3 miles of low-income, minority communities. "Bottom line is, who's more at risk are poor people," said Ben Jealous, executive director of the Sierra Club, an environmental advocacy group that has led an effort to try and close almost two-thirds of the nation's coal plants. "When you start increasing production of coal-fired power plants, you're going to kill more people, and you're going to cause more heart attacks, and you're going to cause more asthma attacks," Jealous said. In a statement provided to CBS News, NRG Energy said its "coal units operate in compliance with the current Mercury Air Toxics Standards (MATS) and will operate in compliance with any future MATS requirements." In a separate statement, the Trump administration said Biden-era coal plant regulations "stacked burdensome regulations on top of the longstanding Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, raising the risk of coal-fired plants shutting down – which would eliminate thousands of jobs, strain our electrical grid, and undermine our national security by leaving America vulnerable to electricity shortages." Jealous argues that coal is not a more reliable energy source than renewable energies. "The argument that coal gives you more reliable energy isn't valid," Jealous said. "Solar, wind and batteries gives you the most reliable, the most resilient grid." More importantly, he said, for the people of Houston and across the country, renewable energy means less pollution. January 6 defendant refuses Trump's pardon Sneak peek: Where is Jermain Charlo? Baldwin grills McMahon on unallocated funds for students, schools, approved by Congress
Hamilton Spectator
15-05-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Birchtech Reports First Quarter 2025 Financial Results
First Quarter 2025 Revenues Totaled $3.2 Million, With Gross Margins Increasing 350 bps to 38.3% CORSICANA, Texas, May 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Birchtech Corp. (TSX: BCHT) (OTCQB: BCHT) ('Birchtech' or the 'Company'), a leader in specialty activated carbon technologies for sustainable air and water treatment, today reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025. Key First Quarter 2025 & Subsequent Operational Highlights Management Commentary 'In the first quarter of 2025, we gained a new technology licensee, which enhanced our market share across the coal-fired utility sector and supported consistent revenues of $3.2 million for the quarter in our core business,' said Richard MacPherson, CEO of Birchtech Corp. 'Our patent defense and business-first approach continue to gain momentum in our post-trial outreach, with the potential to convert adopters of our technology to licensees or product supply customers. Combined with the $160 million our counsel requested following the unanimous jury verdict from 2024, which is inclusive of enhancements, interest and legal fees, we believe we are on a robust growth trajectory with our air business. 'Following our successful jury trial in 2024, we have continued our efforts to protect our patented technologies. During the quarter we filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Evergy, a major power utility company in the Midwest. We also secured a non-exclusive agreement with a second coal-fired power utility named as a defendant in a lawsuit filed in mid-2024. As we continue to conduct outreach and discussions with other defendants named in our recent lawsuits, we expect to enter license agreements and/or supply contracts with many of these utilities. 'Further, recent federal government support for clean coal has ensured a longer operational runway for our core air business. A recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and President Donald J. Trump Proclamation granted a two-year exemption to certain coal-fired power plants from compliance with the updated Mercury Air Toxics Standards ('MATS') introduced under the Biden Administration's Clean Power Plan 2.0 in 2024. This action allows 47 major coal plant owners and more than 60 plants - vital to maintaining grid stability - to remain online through at least 2029 without being burdened by recently introduced regulatory add-ons. Numerous Birchtech utility customers were included in these recently announced exemptions; and, of our existing customers who have announced decommissioning dates, some of these large utilities are considering either extending or removing their decommissioning date. These plants have operated for approximately 10 years under the original MATS framework, and will continue to do so, contributing to improved air quality nationwide. We feel confident in our ability to drive revenue growth across the U.S. coal-fired power sector supported by anticipated coal usage increases both from power demands and the Administration's support through the next several years. 'We continue to make progress with our new water purification business, focused on pioneering sustainable potable water treatment to meet today's environmental challenges and future demands. We aim to revolutionize the treatment of toxins in water, inclusive of the dreaded PFAS/PFOS forever chemicals, with proprietary, innovative, environmentally-friendly, and affordable solutions to ensure the safety and purity of water for future generations. We expect to begin to sell granular activated carbon and water treatment solutions to the potable water industry during the middle part of this year, adding a new revenue source that is expected to be incremental to our aforementioned guidance for the air business. This is all further buoyed by recent news out of the EPA to implement a series of actions aimed at preventing PFAS/PFOS from entering drinking water systems, showcasing clear support from the Trump administration to this important issue. 'Looking ahead, our focus is to protect the validity of our patents in clean air technologies, laying the foundation for our strategic growth into highly innovative water purification technologies currently under development. For our core air business, we expect an accelerating pace of revenue growth, continued IP wins and associated cash receipts from licensing, as well as strong positive momentum from our current customers. For our new water business, we see multiple opportunities to scale as we work to launch in the near term and build the infrastructure to support the future of this business. As we enter this exciting new phase of growth and development, we also expect to pursue a listing onto a major U.S. exchange during the second half of 2025. Taken together, we are on a robust growth trajectory with our air business, further supported by significant incremental potential from the water business in 2025 and beyond,' concluded MacPherson. First Quarter 2025 Financial Results Revenues totaled $3.2 million in the first quarter, as compared to $3.2 million in the same year-ago quarter. The change was driven by an increase in licensing revenues, offset by a slight decrease in supply revenues. Gross profit increased 9.4% to $1.2 million, or 38.3% of total revenues, in the first quarter of 2025, as compared to $1.1 million, or 34.8% of total revenues, in the same year-ago quarter. The change in gross margin was primarily attributable to increased licensing revenues in the first quarter of 2025, which typically carry higher margins than product sales. Operating expenses consisted of selling, general and administrative expenses ('SG&A') and research and development expenses ('R&D') in 2025 and SG&A and in 2024. SG&A expenses were approximately $2.2 million and $3.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2025, and 2024, respectively. Total SG&A expenses decreased in the first three months of 2025 compared to the prior year period, as a result of variances in individual categories. Total R&D expenses were approximately $407,000 and $0 for the three months ended March 31, 2025, and 2024, respectively. R&D expenses relate to research conducted to develop water treatment products utilizing new sorbent technologies and increased in the first three months of 2025 compared to the prior year period as the Company had not incurred any research related costs during the first three months of 2024. Net loss for the first quarter of 2025 improved to $1.7 million, or ($0.02) per basic and diluted share, as compared to a net loss of $2.9 million, or $0.03 per basic and diluted share in the same year-ago quarter. Adjusted EBITDA, a non-GAAP measure, totaled ($1.2 million) in the first quarter of 2025, as compared to ($1.5 million) in the same year-ago quarter. Cash as of March 31, 2025 totaled $3.2 million, with no debt, as compared to $3.5 million, with no debt, as of December 31, 2024. First Quarter 2025 Earnings Conference Call Management will host an investor conference call at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time today, May 15, 2025, to discuss Birchtech's first quarter 2025 financial results, provide a corporate update and conclude with a question-and-answer session for telephone participants. To participate, please use the following information: Date: Thursday, May 15, 2025 Time: 5:00 p.m. Eastern time U.S./Canada Dial-in: 1-877-407-0792 International Dial-in: 1-201-689-8263 Conference ID: 13753395 Webcast: BCHT Q1 2025 Earnings Conference Call Please dial in at least 10 minutes before the start of the call to ensure timely participation. A telephone playback of the call will be available through Friday, June 13, 2025. To listen, call 1-844-512-2921 within the United States and Canada or 1-412-317-6671 when calling internationally, using replay pin number 13753395. A webcast replay will also be available for one year, using the webcast link above. About Birchtech Corp. Birchtech Corp. (TSX: BCHT) (OTCQB: BCHT) is a leader in specialty activated carbon technologies, serving as America's clean coal and clean water company by delivering innovative solutions for air and water purification to support a cleaner, more sustainable future. The Company provides patented SEA® sorbent technologies for mercury emissions capture for the coal-fired utility sector and is developing disruptive water purification technologies with a specialization on forever chemicals such as PFAS and PFOS. Backed by a strong intellectual property portfolio and a world-class team of activated carbon experts, Birchtech provides cleaner air to North American communities and is applying this expertise to a novel approach in water purification. To learn more, please visit . Non-GAAP Financial Measures To supplement our consolidated financial statements presented in accordance with GAAP and to provide investors with additional information regarding our financial results, we consider and are including herein Adjusted EBITDA, a Non-GAAP financial measure. We view Adjusted EBITDA as an operating performance measure and, as such, we believe that the GAAP financial measure most directly comparable to it is net income (loss). We define Adjusted EBITDA as net income adjusted for interest and financing fees, income taxes, depreciation, amortization, stock-based compensation, and other non-cash income and expenses. We believe that Adjusted EBITDA provides us an important measure of operating performance because it allows management, investors, debtholders and others to evaluate and compare ongoing operating results from period to period by removing the impact of our asset base, any asset disposals or impairments, stock based compensation and other non-cash income and expense items associated with our reliance on issuing equity-linked debt securities to fund our working capital. Our use of Adjusted EBITDA has limitations as an analytical tool, and this measure should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for an analysis of our results as reported under GAAP, as the excluded items may have significant effects on our operating results and financial condition. Additionally, our measure of Adjusted EBITDA may differ from other companies' measure of Adjusted EBITDA. When evaluating our performance, Adjusted EBITDA should be considered with other financial performance measures, including various cash flow metrics, net income and other GAAP results. In the future, we may disclose different non-GAAP financial measures in order to help our investors and others more meaningfully evaluate and compare our future results of operations to our previously reported results of operations. The following table shows our reconciliation of net income (loss) to adjusted EBITDA for the quarters ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively: Safe Harbor Statement With the exception of historical information contained in this press release, content herein may contain 'forward-looking statements' that are made pursuant to the Safe Harbor Provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 or forward-looking information under applicable Canadian securities laws (collectively, 'forward-looking statements'). Forward-looking statements are generally identified by using words such as 'anticipate,' 'believe,' 'plan,' 'expect,' 'intend,' 'will,' and similar expressions, but these words are not the exclusive means of identifying forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this release include statements relating to expected developments and growth in Birchtech's business, as well as any revenue guidance provided. These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. In addition, this release contains time-sensitive information that reflects management's best analysis only as of the date of this release. Birchtech does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future events, information or circumstances that arise after the date of this release. Further information concerning issues that could materially affect financial performance or other forward-looking statements contained in this release can be found in Birchtech's periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission or Canadian securities regulators. Investor Relations Contact: Lucas A. Zimmerman Managing Director MZ Group - MZ North America (949) 259-4987 BCHT@
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
🚨 Tottenham and Crystal Palace name XIs for Premier League encounter
Tottenham and Crystal Palace have named their XIs for Sunday's Premier League clash in north London. This is an encounter between two sides with cup finals' on their minds with Spurs set for the Europa League in Bilbao and Palace ready for the FA Cup at Wembley next weekend. Here are the teams ... Your Spurs side ✊🔢 @krakenfx — Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) May 11, 2025 The Palace ✊🦅#CPFC // #TOTCRY — Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) May 11, 2025 Spurs rest some of their key men whilst Adam Wharton misses out for Palace. 📸 MATS TORBERGSEN
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
A Light That Moved Fast and Shined Bright: Honoring Brittany Traylor
There are certain people you meet along this journey who leave an impact far greater than the time you had with them. For me, Brittany Traylor was one of those people. I first met Brittany a few years ago at the Manifest conference in Las Vegas. If you've ever been to Manifest, you know — it's busy, it's loud, and everybody's pitching something. But Brittany stood out immediately. Not because she was trying to sell something, but because of her genuine passion. She walked up to me with that big, excited smile and introduced herself, proudly telling me about her company, Traylor Transpo. She wasn't just another name on a business card — she was the real deal. A CDL holder. A business owner. A driver. A leader. Someone who understood the business from behind the wheel and behind the desk.I remember being struck by her articulation. She wasn't just dreaming — she was building. She told me how she had integrated Turvo into her operations, breaking it down to me with a level of operational understanding you don't often see, even from people who've been at it for decades. And before she walked away that first time — just like she always did after we spoke — she said with that same glowing smile: 'Hey Adam, you mind if I get a picture?' That was Brittany. She understood that moments mattered. Relationships didn't just love trucking — she loved people. She didn't just talk about growth — she talked about customers, relationships, and building community. Every time we talked, that's where her mind went: not just freight, not just loads, but how to create lasting partnerships, how to make people remember you for how you made them feel. That's rare in today's world, and it's even rarer in trucking. And if you ever caught her company socials, you already know — they were full of life, energy, and inspiration. Brittany made the trucking business fun again. She brought color and vibrancy into an industry that sometimes forgets how much heart is behind those wheels. Fast forward to last year at the Broker-Carrier Summit (BCS), and we got another chance to sit down — this time more intentionally. No big conference chaos, just a quiet moment to brainstorm. Brittany had ideas. She wasn't afraid to ask the hard questions or challenge herself to think differently. She wanted to know, 'What can I do better?' Not because she was struggling — but because she knew greatness required constant evolution. Earlier this year at MATS, we crossed paths again. And in true Brittany fashion, she came right up and hit me with that same playful energy:'When are you ever gonna respond to my message!' she laughed. Me being me, I fired right back: 'Check your messages — I already did!' We laughed and laughed — the kind of good, real laugh that fills the room. Before we split up that day, she said again, a little more seriously: 'For real, let's get together. Let's really make something happen.' I told her to put it on my calendar. And of course — before she walked away — 'Hey Adam, you mind if I get a picture?' A few weeks ago, I reached out and asked her to join me on a Twitter Space. She jumped right on it, working hard to get her Twitter account set up just so she could be part of the conversation. She didn't half-step anything she committed to. Brittany always showed up fully. Life got in the way — a flight cancellation on my end forced us to postpone. I figured we'd just reschedule like we always do in this crazy business. What I didn't know was that would be the last time I would have talked to her. When I got the word that Brittany had succumbed to injuries from an accident in her semi-truck, it hit differently. Because Brittany wasn't just a name in my phone. She was a light. She was energy. She was ambition. She was joy. And she lived every day with the kind of spirit we can only hope to leave behind when our own chapter closes. Brittany didn't just talk about success — she lived it through relationships. She didn't just dream about growing — she made growing fun, exciting, contagious. She made this business feel human again. As we move forward — whether it's building new customer relationships, strengthening our business foundations, or simply being present in the moment — I hope we all keep a piece of Brittany's spirit with us. When it gets hard, remember her laughter. When it gets scary, remember her bravery. When you wonder if you're doing enough, remember how she showed up — proud, joyful, and ready — every single time. Brittany always said, 'Adam, we gotta work together on some big things.' I still believe her. And we still will. Because everything we build from here forward carries a little bit of Brittany in it. Rest easy, Brittany. You'll never be forgotten. You'll always be part of this road we're traveling. -Adam The post A Light That Moved Fast and Shined Bright: Honoring Brittany Traylor appeared first on FreightWaves.
