The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expected to finalize a rule repealing regulations that limit greenhouse gas emissions from coal and natural gas power plants. According to two people familiar with the proposal, the announcement is scheduled to occur in Houston during a G20 ministerial meeting. The move is intended to fulfill President Trump’s pledge to increase domestic energy production by removing regulatory costs for the utility industry.
The action reverses policies established during the Biden and Obama administrations that sought to curb industrial pollution. Administrator Lee Zeldin, who targeted nearly three dozen environmental regulations for repeal in early 2025, stated that the new rules are designed to end a perceived "war" on domestic energy supply. Zeldin has argued that previous regulations were intended to regulate the coal industry out of existence, whereas the new rule would help "unleash" American energy and reduce costs.
The EPA stated in its proposal last year that greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel power plants do not contribute significantly to dangerous air pollution. This finding serves as the legal justification for the repeal, with the agency arguing these emissions do not meet the threshold for regulatory action under the Clean Air Act. However, EPA data from 2023 indicated that the power sector was responsible for 31% of carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels, the second-highest of any industry.
The scale of the impact involves approximately one-quarter of the nation’s total climate pollution, which is generated by coal, gas, and oil-fired power plants. Individuals may notice changes in their electricity bills and public health outcomes, as an analysis found that dismantling the rules would lead to higher levels of smog, mercury, lead, and airborne particles. While the administration argues the move will lower energy prices—which recently topped $4.31 a gallon for gasoline—health advocates argue the long-term costs of climate-driven floods and storms will outweigh these savings.
The repeal sets a precedent by potentially preventing future administrations from regulating greenhouse gas emissions from power plants under the same legal framework. Legal challenges from more than a dozen environmental and health groups have already begun following earlier rollbacks by the Zeldin-led EPA. The rule could be announced as soon as Monday, but it faces immediate litigation that may delay or alter its implementation. A specific effective date has not yet been reported.