Oklahoma is one of several states challenging President Barack Obama's plan that would force coal plants to reduce emissions,reports News 9.
Obama's Clean Power Plan would reduce coal emissions by a third by 2030. This could mean big changes for Oklahomans, who get about 40 percent of their electricity from coal. Opponents say the mandate would cost jobs and drastically drive up energy prices. Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt is among those who argued the plan would drive up electricity costs. He says diversity of fuel options helps keep prices low and helps keep stability in the market.
But supporters of the plan, like Johnson Bridgwater of the Sierra Club, disagree. Bridgewater says it’s more important to stop climate change. “[With] weather and agriculture being a big part of Oklahoma, that’s our number one concern,” he said.