Key facts
- The EPA will repeal carbon emission limits on coal- and gas-fired power plants.
- The repeal is part of an effort to unwind U.S. climate policy that the agency says hinders energy production.
- The announcement is scheduled for Monday on the sidelines of a G20 energy ministers meeting in Houston.
- The Biden administration's rules would have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 1 billion metric tons by 2047.
- The electricity sector accounts for nearly a quarter of U.S. greenhouse gas pollution.
- The EPA administrator stated the move would save companies $120 million a year.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is set to announce the final repeal of the Biden administration's carbon emission limits for coal- and gas-fired power plants. This action is part of a broader strategy to dismantle climate policies implemented under the previous administration, which the EPA argues impede energy production.
The announcement is scheduled to coincide with a meeting of G20 energy ministers in Houston, where discussions will focus on energy security, baseload power expansion, and regulatory efficiency.
In June, the Trump administration had proposed rolling back the emission standards for power plants that were established by the Biden administration to curb carbon dioxide, mercury, and other air pollutants. The Biden-era rules were projected to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 1 billion metric tons by 2047, a significant component of the administration's climate change mitigation efforts. The electricity sector is a major contributor to U.S. greenhouse gas pollution, responsible for nearly a quarter of the total.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin stated at the time that the repeal would result in annual savings of $120 million for companies. However, environmental groups have strongly opposed the move, arguing that the environmental and public health costs will far exceed these savings. Maggie Coulter, an attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity’s Climate Law Institute, criticized the decision as reckless, warning of increased suffering from extreme weather events.