A Ruinous Earth Day: Governor Shapiro's coal plant deal sets PA on a path for continued polluted air and water

Banner Image of A Ruinous Earth Day: Governor Shapiro's coal plant deal sets PA on a path for continued polluted air and water

The agreement keeps old, dirty coal plants operating with almost no incentive to improve waste water management — and it won't be his problem when the deadline expires.

Wednesday, April 22, 2026 — In an unconscionable move on Earth Week, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has asked a court to approve a deal to keep the Keystone and Conemaugh coal plants running through 2032, despite the plants’ failure to meet federal clean water standards.

The aging coal plants had a planned closure date in 2028, but asked, at the last minute, for a deal to extend the life of these pollution spewing facilities in western Pennsylvania. And Governor Shapiro’s Department of Environmental Protection agreed, rewarding these plants for failing to timely upgrade their pollution controls. This is a gut punch to the environmental progress Pennsylvania has made for cleaner air and water for Armstrong, Westmoreland, and Indiana Counties, while doing absolutely nothing to lower energy costs for Pennsylvanians.

“The Governor's "all of the above strategy" is a weak and empty policy stance that allows him the flexibility to pander to fossil fuels while facilitating a few federally funded clean energy projects. This "strategy" leads to more extraction and burning of dirty fossil fuels while ignoring the queue of affordable, shovel-ready renewable energy projects that could provide power to the grid quickly," said Patrick McDonnell, president and CEO of PennFuture. “By 2032, this will not be Governor Shapiro’s problem, but the local communities will continue to breathe toxic air for the next eight years. Rather than creating a plan for the future of these plants today, the Governor is passing that problem down the road, forcing others to come up with the money and the solutions to deal with additional devastating pollution for overburdened western PA communities.”

Governor Shapiro has failed to deliver meaningful clean energy development with his “All-of-the-Above” energy position, and instead locks in continued dependence on expensive, polluting fossil fuels:

  • PRESS hasn't passed.
  • Community solar hasn't passed.
  • The Governor’s signature “Lightning Plan” is still just a press release with no action.
  • And the reforms promoted for our grid only fast-track polluting plants.

“It’s clear that when the Governor says ‘all of the above energy’ he really means fast-tracked permits and executive action for fossil fuels,” said Annie Regan, Senior Director of Campaigns. “We’re seeing the highest rates for energy in generations, but where is the executive urgency for affordable clean energy? Where is the executive order for solar interconnection or “concierge service” for wind and storage developers?”

This agreement gives favor to the worst polluting energy industry that otherwise could not operate without government support.

It also comes on the heels of the Department of Environmental Protection fast-tracking the air quality permit for the massive Homer City gas plant, finishing in 157 days when the agency's own estimate was 285, prompting the Homer City plant developer to declare the DEP an "exceptional partner." That kind of urgency and government collaboration only applies to one type of energy — fossil fuels.

The Governor’s motto of “all-of-the-above energy” does not provide any vision or coherent plan for the Commonwealth’s future. Instead, it simply has allowed more pollution and worse health. While the Governor will be out of office by the time this deal expires, this is not just a future problem. This is a now problem for the residents of these communities, who remain burdened by the pollution from these old, unmaintained, out-of-date, and uncompetitive plants.

Earth Day is a time to defend clean air, clean water, and a livable future for the Commonwealth. Instead, Governor Shapiro chose to prop up the very pollution it was meant to end. While other states mark today by investing in clean energy that lowers bills, cuts emissions, and builds a competitive 21st-century economy, Governor Shapiro chose to keep Pennsylvania saddled with dirty fossil fuels. Pennsylvania’s energy communities who have helped long-power our nation deserve sustainable energy jobs and clean environments. Why can’t that be a priority for Governor Shapiro?

IMAGE: Conemaugh Power Generating Station, September 19, 2008, by Dj245.