A federal appeals court in Washington appeared skeptical of a Trump administration emergency order extending the lifespan of a Michigan coal plant.
During oral arguments Friday, the panel of Obama-appointed judges questioned the limits of the Department of Energy’s authority to issue an emergency order to keep the J.H. Campbell power plant running past its planned May 2025 retirement date.
The hearing focused on the first of four 90-day orders DOE has issued to keep the plant operational.
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The state of Michigan, as well as a coalition of environmental groups represented by Earthjustice, are calling for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to declare the orders unlawful and prevent DOE from continuing to renew them.
