July 14, 2024 – The Unions for Jobs & Environmental Progress (UJEP) Coalition submitted comments todayoffering a realistic vision for repealing the carbon pollution standards promulgated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
“TCU will always fight for our members’ jobs – regardless of the politics. We didn’t like the EPA rule when it initially came out because it set unrealistic targets for the industries that support thousands of utility, maritime and rail union jobs – including our own,” said TCU National President Artie Maratea. TCU has been a long-standing member of the UJEP Coalition and sits on its Board of Directors.
The UJEP comments criticize the EPA rule that would force the mandatory retirement of virtually all remaining coal-based power plants:
…Such a massive loss of generation capacity by 2032 would create severe reliability problems in many areas of the country, along with the unacceptable loss of tens of thousands of direct and indirect jobs dependent upon the continued operation of the plants targeted for retirement… [UJEP Comments, 90 Fed. Reg. 25752, July 11, 2025]
The comments filed today by UJEP offer an “alternative” framework for repealing the current carbon rule in an effort to survive scrutiny from federal courts. Thousands of TCU freight rail clerks work every day to help move coal from its source mine to power plants and blast furnaces across the country, powering our homes and our economy.
“At the Lamberts Point Coal Terminal in Norfolk, we move coal. Plain and simple,” said TCU Lodge 500 Local Chairman Scooter Stocks. “Coal is what keeps the lights on in America, both literally and figuratively – but it also puts food on the table for me and our members, and I’m proud that our union is fighting for our industry.”
Read UJEP Repeal Comments here.