EPA Proposes Major Rollback of Power Plant Emission Limits

The Trump administration's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed repealing major regulations that limit greenhouse gas and toxic emissions from coal and natural gas power plants, arguing these rules hinder economic growth and energy independence. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin described the Biden-era climate rules as harmful to American industry and announced plans to roll back protections on mercury, arsenic, and carbon pollution, which critics warn will increase pollution and harm public health. Scientific experts overwhelmingly reject the EPA's claim that power plant carbon emissions are not significant contributors to climate change, emphasizing that these emissions are a major driver of global warming and pose serious health risks. Environmental and public health advocates, such as Earthjustice, condemn the rollbacks for disregarding established science and endangering communities, especially given the success of existing standards in reducing toxic pollutants. The US power sector remains one of the largest global emitters of greenhouse gases, and the proposed deregulation is expected to face legal challenges. The Trump administration frames these changes as a necessary correction to overregulation and a step toward a "Golden Age" for American energy and economy, despite broad opposition from scientists and environmentalists.