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The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to repeal carbon emission limits established for coal- and gas-fired power plants during the Biden administration.
The decision, announced Monday on the sidelines of a G20 energy ministers’ meeting in Houston, is part of US President Donald Trump’s administration’s efforts to remove environmental regulations it says restrict energy production.
The EPA has also proposed repealing remaining greenhouse gas emission requirements for power plants. The agency cited its position that it lacks authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate carbon emissions from the power sector.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the changes would help create new electricity infrastructure to meet rising demand in the United States, particularly from energy-intensive sectors such as artificial intelligence. He said easing the rules would allow new energy facilities to be built more quickly.
The power sector accounts for about one-quarter of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States and is the country’s second-largest source of emissions after transportation. According to the US Energy Information Administration, emissions from the energy sector increased by 4% last year.
Biden-era rules targeted
The Biden administration’s rules required coal-fired power plants and new natural gas facilities to use carbon-capture technology or switch to cleaner energy sources.
The rules were expected to cut greenhouse gas emissions by about 1 billion tons by 2047 as part of efforts to combat climate change. The Trump administration says the regulations increased costs for energy producers and restricted the expansion of reliable power generation.
The EPA estimates that repealing the rules would save industry about $370 million in direct compliance costs.
Environmental groups raise concerns
Environmental organizations criticized the decision, saying that removing carbon limits could increase pollution and worsen the effects of climate change.
Maggie Coulter of the Climate Law Institute at the Center for Biological Diversity said the move could increase risks associated with extreme weather events, including heat waves, storms and wildfires.
Dena Adler, chief counsel at the Institute for Policy Integrity, said the EPA had underestimated the potential costs of repealing the rules to public health and the environment. The Biden administration had previously estimated that the rules would generate about $370 billion in net benefits.
Coal industry welcomes decision
US Department of Energy officials supported the decision, saying it would assist coal-fired power generation. Kyle Haustveit, the deputy energy secretary, said the administration had ended its “war” on coal and described the fuel as reliable and affordable.
The Edison Electric Institute, which represents investor-owned electric utilities in the United States, also welcomed the repeal of the carbon-capture requirements. However, the organization said it would continue working with officials to ensure regulatory stability for the sector.
Some states are expected to maintain their own emissions-reduction policies. This means that utility companies may continue to face climate-related requirements at the state level.
