US Coal Plant Pollution Hits 25-Year High in 2025

Donald Trump boosted coal use and rolled back public health safeguards and emission standards for approximately 210 power plants, leading to a significant surge in air pollution in 2025. Data from the United States Environmental Protection Agency reveals that pollution levels reached heights not seen in at least 25 years.

Sulfur dioxide emissions rose by over 18%, increasing from 597,000 tons in 2024 to 705,000 tons in 2025. Nitrogen oxide emissions also grew by approximately 12%, rising from 464,000 to 521,000 tons during the same period.

The Sierra Club condemned the administration's policies. Patrick Drupp, the organization's Climate Policy Director, characterized the spike in pollution as an "abject failure" of the president's campaign promises to improve American health, arguing that the current actions are making citizens sicker.