Moves To Permanently Eliminate Greenhouse Gas Emissions Rules for Power Plants

The EPA is set to repeal rules limiting greenhouse gas emissions from coal and gas power plants. Administrator Lee Zeldin is expected to announce the move Monday in Houston alongside Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.

• $310 billion in savings projected from eliminating Biden-era power plant rules, per the EPA.
• $370 million in direct compliance cost savings estimated from the broader greenhouse gas repeal.
• 40% of U.S. electricity came from gas plants in 2025; coal supplied 17%.
• The repeal could prevent future administrations from regulating power plant greenhouse gas emissions.

Why it matters: Coal and gas power plants account for roughly one-quarter of U.S. climate pollution. The repealed 2024 Biden rules required coal plants to capture 90% of emissions by 2032 or shut down, and forced new gas plants to adopt carbon capture technology.

• The EPA now argues greenhouse gas emissions from power plants do not meet the Clean Air Act threshold for regulatory action.
• An AP analysis found the rolled-back rules could have prevented an estimated 30,000 deaths and saved $275 billion annually.

How 69 sources split on this story

Where they split: The core dispute is whether eliminating these rules lowers energy costs and preserves grid reliability, or imposes serious public health and climate costs on Americans.

What’s next: Environmental Defense Fund general counsel Vickie Patton said legal challenges will follow immediately.

• The repeal covers only greenhouse gas regulations; hazardous air pollutant rules for power plants remain in effect.
• Whether courts will uphold the EPA's legal argument that it lacks authority to regulate power plant greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act.
• How the repeal will affect electricity prices for consumers in the near term.