EPA repeals power plant greenhouse gas rules under Trump

September 15, 2026 at 01:45 AM2 min

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced plans to repeal greenhouse gas emission standards for power plants. The move finalizes the rollback of Biden-era rules and proposes eliminating remaining limits. The agency estimates the changes will save over $300 billion in compliance costs.

Key Facts

The EPA finalized repeal of Biden-era greenhouse gas requirements for power plants and proposed eliminating any remaining limits.
The power sector accounts for a quarter of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, second only to transportation.
The EPA estimates the finalized rule will save $310 billion and the proposed actions an additional $370 million in direct compliance costs.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the changes at a news conference in Houston on Monday.
The EPA proposed a separate rule expected to be finalized next year that could prevent future administrations from regulating greenhouse gas emissions from power plants.

Regulatory Rollback

The EPA is finalizing its repeal of Biden-era greenhouse gas requirements for power plants and proposing elimination of any remaining limits for the power sector. In February, the Trump administration overturned the endangerment finding for vehicles, which had allowed greenhouse gas regulation under the Clean Air Act. The EPA now extends that rollback to power plants, arguing greenhouse gas pollution is out of its scope to regulate because impacts are global and health harms too uncertain to tie to the U.S. power sector. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the changes cut red tape to build new power-generating infrastructure.

Cost and Demand Pressures

The EPA claims the finalized rule would save $310 billion, while additional proposed actions would shave off $370 million in direct compliance costs. The EPA estimated the changes would eliminate more than $300 billion in costs for power plants. Electricity demand is rising for the first time in over a decade due to more data centers, factories, and electric vehicles plugging into power grids. EPA officials said the change would allow utilities to make the best decisions for ratepayers rather than be forced to close aging or inefficient plants.

Opposition and Legal Challenges

Environmental and consumer advocates argue Trump's deregulation spree comes with higher costs for the environment, public health, and Americans' pocketbooks. Moms Clean Air Force director Dominique Browning said failure to limit climate pollution means more children in emergency rooms with asthma attacks and heatstroke. The lifting of restrictions is sure to be challenged by environmental groups, who say it would harm Americans' health and further degrade the environment.