Attorney General Russell Coleman joined the Dependable Power First Kentucky coalition in delivering a letter to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin on May 5 expressing strong support for the EPA’s efforts to roll back harmful regulations that would undermine Kentucky’s affordable and reliable electricity supply.
The letter was signed by more than 20 Kentucky leaders and organizations, including AG Coleman, major electric utilities, electric cooperatives, industrial customers, local officials and economic development organizations — reflecting a broad conviction that environmental regulations must be reasonable, not extreme.
“Kentucky ratepayers and industries benefit from some of the lowest retail electricity rates in the region, due in large part to a resource mix anchored by coal and natural gas which provide more than 90 percent of Kentucky’s electricity,” the letter noted. “While we support an all-of-the-above energy strategy, coal remains the backbone of a reliable, resilient and secure electricity grid in Kentucky.”
The coalition emphasized the critical importance of policy decisions being grounded in observed system performance, not theoretical assumptions that fail to account for dispatchability, fuel security and real-world operating conditions.
In their letter, the group specifically thanked Administrator Zeldin for his efforts to repeal the Mercury Air and Toxics Standards (MATS) that would have imposed significant compliance burdens even though effective emission controls are already widely deployed across the coal fleet.
They also cited a recent study by Energy Ventures Analysis that found continuing to operate existing coal plants is significantly more cost-effective than replacing them with new renewable generation. Additionally, they noted how analysis from Winter Storm Fern in January showed that that coal-fired generation played an indispensable role in maintaining grid reliability under stress.
“Kentucky’s economic future, continued development and public safety depend on maintaining access to affordable and dependable electricity,” the letter concludes. “We strongly support your efforts to craft balanced, durable policies that protect the environment while recognizing the essential role dispatchable resources play in preserving the reliability and affordability that have long defined Kentucky’s electricity grid.”
The Dependable Power First Kentucky coalition’s full letter to EPA Administrator Zeldin can be viewed here: bit.ly/EPAletterMay2026
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Dependable Power First Kentucky works to promote a reliable, resilient, and affordable electricity supply for all Kentuckians by bringing together diverse stakeholders from across the state to shift the conversation around reliability and support policies that achieve this goal. For more information, please visit dependablepowerky.com.
