It was among the top three states for solar installation last year, and more than a dozen coal plants have closed since 2010. And now, two rules proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency could make it easier for aging coal plants to keep running. On April 9, the EPA proposed a major rollback of regulations governing coal ash, which can contain heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, and mercury. The proposals undercut specific Biden-era environmental protections that industry sources had asked the Trump administration to address in January 2025. In both cases, the companies would see their financial responsibilities reduced and find it easier to keep storing coal ash on-site as coal plants continue to run.