The Trump administration has repealed limits on carbon emissions from coal- and gas-fired power plants, reversing regulations introduced under former President Joe Biden to curb greenhouse gases, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and reporting by DW.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the decision at a G20 energy ministers’ meeting in Houston. He described it as the “largest power sector deregulatory action ever” and said the agency was removing what he called regulatory barriers to reliable and affordable energy. Zeldin also said Americans would see lower electricity prices.
The repealed standards were introduced in 2024 under the Clean Air Act. They required existing and new power plants to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by as much as 90% or shut down by 2039. The EPA’s latest action also proposes preventing future greenhouse gas regulations affecting the power sector, DW reported.
Zeldin accused previous Democratic administrations of conducting what he called a “war on coal” and said the Trump administration would reverse that approach. The EPA said coal production for the power sector was expected to increase more than tenfold following the repeal. Power generation accounts for about a quarter of US greenhouse gas emissions, according to the source material.
The decision drew criticism from environmental and legal specialists. Meredith Hankins of the Natural Resources Defense Council said the agency’s legal justifications appeared contradictory and indicated the final rule could be challenged in court. Rachel Cleetus of the Union of Concerned Scientists accused the EPA of prioritising fossil-fuel industry profits over public health and abandoning its mission.
The source material does not provide details of the final rule’s legal text or the timetable for its implementation. It also does not include an assessment from power-plant operators or state authorities on the likely effects of the repeal.