US scraps limits on emissions from coal and gas power plants

On September 15, the head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Lee Zeldin, announced the scrapping of rules aimed at limiting pollution from coal and gas power plants. The EPA also stated it would take measures to prevent future administrations from regulating power plant emissions, potentially saving $310 billion and reducing energy prices.

However, environmental groups raised concerns that this would have a significant impact on Americans' health and the environment. Zeldin emphasized that the U.S. produces energy more effectively and cleanly than any other country, and power plants should not be unfairly targeted. The EPA cited the Biden-era power plant emission rules as exceeding its authority, as they required control technologies not yet proven to be effective.

The agency also intends to eliminate all other greenhouse gas rules for the power sector. These changes, which will undergo public scrutiny, were proposed by Zeldin last year and aim to ensure affordable and reliable energy while driving down costs for various sectors. The Biden-era regulations were estimated to prevent 4,500 premature deaths annually, but the EPA argued that any potential health harms were too uncertain to tie specifically to the U.S. power sector.

Zeldin assured that safeguards against hazardous air pollutants would remain in place. Critics, such as Nathaniel Keohane from the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, called the move "a giant step backward," arguing that the EPA ignored sound science and economics while abdicating its responsibility to protect public health and welfare.

The U.S. is the world's second-largest emitter of climate-warming greenhouse gases, with the power sector accounting for about 25% of emissions. Despite a slight increase in emissions last year, the power sector has generally reduced emissions in recent decades due to declining coal use. However, President Trump has advocated for a resurgence in coal power and criticized renewable energy sources.

The impact of the EPA's decision on U.S. emissions and global climate change remains uncertain, as some experts question the feasibility of a coal resurgence, citing the rapid decline in clean technology costs. In February, the EPA reversed an Obama-era ruling that classified greenhouse gases as a threat to public health, a decision challenged by states and local governments.