The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is set to finalize a rule that repeals limits on planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions from power plants fueled by coal and natural gas, according to multiple reports. The change, which could be announced as early as Monday, also seeks to strip the EPA of its authority to regulate these emissions under the Clean Air Act, a move that would prevent future administrations from reinstating similar restrictions.
The EPA, led by Administrator Lee Zeldin, has framed the repeal as a cost-saving measure for the energy industry, arguing it would remove billions of dollars in compliance costs and boost domestic energy production. Zeldin has previously described the effort as part of a broader deregulatory agenda, stating in June 2025 that the agency would target rules criticized for restricting coal, oil, and gas operations.
Legal and Environmental Consequences
The rule change is expected to face immediate legal challenges, with critics warning it could lead to increased pollution and public health risks. The Biden administration’s EPA had estimated that its emissions limits would have saved thousands of lives annually by reducing harmful air pollutants. Power plants are the second-largest source of carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S., trailing only transportation.
Beyond the repeal, the EPA plans to argue that greenhouse gases from power plants do not endanger human health or the environment, a claim that would invalidate the agency’s legal basis for regulating these emissions. This argument, if upheld in court, would permanently block future regulations on power plant emissions, according to reporting by The New York Times.
Shift in Climate Policy
The move marks a fundamental reversal of policies enacted under Democratic presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, which aimed to curb industrial pollution, particularly in low-income and majority Black or Hispanic communities. The Trump administration’s action fulfills a campaign pledge to "unleash American energy" by easing restrictions on fossil fuel-based power generation.
The EPA has not yet publicly confirmed the rule change, and requests for comment were not immediately answered. The plan to finalize the repeal was first reported by The New York Times, with additional details confirmed by anonymous sources familiar with the proposal.
Timeline and Next Steps
The rule was initially proposed last year and has been under review. Its finalization would represent the latest in a series of deregulatory actions taken by the current administration, including the rescission of the EPA’s "endangerment finding"—a 2009 determination that climate-related emissions pose a threat to public health, which had served as the legal foundation for most federal climate policies.