The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) confirmed on the 24th that it is drafting a document to rescind all greenhouse gas (GHG) emission limits for coal and gas-fired power plants in the United States, with plans to release the proposal after interagency review.
An EPA spokesperson told media that the agency is developing the new proposal as part of a reassessment of rules enacted under the previous Democratic administration, which critics argue constituted excessive regulatory overreach. Critics claim the regulations sought to shutter affordable, reliable power facilities, driving up electricity costs for American households and increasing reliance on foreign energy sources.
Earlier media reports obtained a draft of the proposed policy, in which the EPA states: “Greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide, from fossil fuel-fired power plants do not significantly contribute to hazardous pollution or climate change.” The agency justified this by noting such emissions represent a small and declining share of global emissions. It also argued that eliminating these emissions would have no substantial impact on public health or welfare.
The draft indicates the EPA intends to “repeal all GHG emission standards for fossil fuel power plants,” including Biden-era restrictions requiring existing coal units to capture and store carbon emissions before they exit smokestacks and mandating cleaner technologies for certain new gas plants.
This move marks yet another contradiction in U.S. environmental policy. According to EPA data, as of 2022, the U.S. power sector remains the second-largest source of GHG emissions after transportation, accounting for nearly 30% of global climate pollution from power generation worldwide.
Separate UN statistics highlight that fossil fuels are the primary driver of global climate change, responsible for over 75% of global GHG emissions and nearly 90% of all CO₂ emissions.
The EPA submitted the draft to the White House for review on May 2 and plans to publish it for public comment in June, though changes could still occur before finalization. These policy shifts stem from former President Trump’s persistent attacks on the scientific consensus that GHG emissions threaten planetary health and human well-being.
Under Trump, the U.S. government eliminated federal spending on climate action and repealed numerous environmental regulations to advance the agenda of oil, mining, and gas industries. This week’s tax and spending bill approved by the House includes provisions to prematurely terminate multiple green energy subsidies.
Sources told media the White House is pressuring the EPA to finalize the regulatory rollback by December—an unusually aggressive timeline for rewriting regulations that typically take over a year.
A key objective for the EPA is overturning its 2009 finding that GHGs endanger public health, which would strip the agency of its legal authority to regulate carbon emissions from power plants, vehicles, oil and gas infrastructure, and other sources. This move would also block future administrations from regulating emissions in these sectors.
