Activists from Across Indiana Demand State Leadership Reject Bailouts for Expensive Coal

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INDIANAPOLIS — Today, environmental activists from across Indiana delivered more than 1,300 petitions to Governor Mike Braun and Attorney General Todd Rokita, calling on them to challenge President Trump’s latest “emergency energy order” that will require coal burning units at NIPSCO’s Schahfer and Centerpoint’s Culley coal plants to continue operating despite the fact they were supposed to retire — and Hoosiers were supposed to stop paying for them — in December 2025.

“With the cost of living skyrocketing, Hoosiers are being forced to choose between affording basic necessities, like affording their medications or keeping the lights on in their homes. These illegal coal orders issued and continually renewed by the Trump administration will only drive up everyday costs even higher. Hoosiers shouldn’t be forced to subsidize the coal industry. Governor Braun and Attorney General Rokita need to stop playing politics and challenge these illegal orders and stand up for Hoosiers,” said Nicole Chandler, Southwest Indiana Beyond Coal Campaign Organizer.

NIPSCO’s Schahfer plant hasn’t even been able to operate since the orders were issued, yet the utility wants customers to pay $38 million for the first 3 months Trump forced the plant to stay open — $2.8 million of that cost to be entirely for executive profit.

“Indiana residents and surrounding states should not be responsible for the federal government’s push to restart coal plants. Our health, environment and livelihood — especially our wallets — are not withdrawals for NIPSCO or the Big Tech corporations that continue to use fossil fuels,” said Lottie Stein, Jasper County Resident.

“We urgently call on the Governor and Attorney General to challenge NIPSCO’s profiting of these dangerous and unlawful federal orders that are attempting to resurrect a dead coal plant and force ratepayers to foot the bill. NIPSCO customers already shoulder the highest energy costs in the state. Fenceline residents in Jasper County face an increasingly dire situation of layered injustices from the coal plant, the massive new gas plant, and the data center all at the same site, draining their water, polluting their airways, and depleting their farmland. Enough is enough!” said Ashley Williams, Executive Director, Just Transition Northwest Indiana.