EPA Guts CO2 Power Plant Emission Limits as Planet Bakes
NEWS & RESEARCH
The Trump administration had already rescinded the landmark 2009 “endangerment finding,” which established the government’s legal authority to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act, enabling the EPA to eliminate emission limits for cars, power plants, and other major polluters. President Trump and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin followed up the rescission with an announcement that EPA was relaxing requirements for grocery stores, air-conditioning companies, semiconductor plants and other industries to reduce production of hydrofluorocarbons (“HFCs”), “super pollutants,” that are “hundreds to thousands of times more potent at trapping heat” than carbon dioxide. On September 14, 2026, EPA announced rules to repeal former President Joe Biden's limits on carbon emissions from coal- and gas-fired power plants and to prevent future climate-focused regulations of those facilities. Biden's carbon emission rules would have reduced greenhouse gas emissions from power plants by 1 billion metric tons by 2047.. The Biden rule would have required coal-fired power plants and new natural gas-fired generators to install equipment in the coming decade to capture emissions before they reach the atmosphere, making zero-emissions alternatives like solar and wind more attractive. Under Secretary of Energy Kyle Haustveit praised the new rule, saying: "President Trump ended the war on beautiful, clean coal.”
SOURCE: Washington Post | New York Times | Reuters
ANALYSIS & OPINION
Experts describe the repeal as a "giveaway" to oil and coal companies that will accelerate climate change, threaten public health, and increase fuel costs. While The Guardian linked the move to Trump’s 2024 request for $1 billion in campaign support from oil executives, the Brookings Institution warned that the resulting "regulatory vacuum" will likely trigger a wave of lawsuits and state-level actions, creating instability for many industries. The restrictions on super pollutants that Trump reversed had been instituted by the Biden administration, which aimed to cut the production and consumption of HFCs by 85 percent by 2036. Environmental groups slammed the new administration proposal, saying the damage to the environment and public health wouild exceed the financial benefit to the industry. The electricity sector is responsible for nearly a quarter of U.S. greenhouse gas pollution.
SOURCES: Scientific American | The Guardian | Brookings | Reuters
HOW TO FIX IT
Congressional action:
End Polluter Welfare: Pass the End Polluter Welfare Act to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies.
Litigate: Support lawsuits filed by states, environmental groups, and public health organizations challenging the repeal.
Congress should conduct hearings on the environmental, public health and economic
consequences of rolling back these and other related regulations.”
Strengthen Oversight: Support regulatory agencies using pre-existing authorities to regulate fuel economy.
Prioritize Justice: Support the People’s Environmental Justice Caucus focus on frontline community leadership.
State action:
Raise Standards: Adopt California’s Advanced Clean Cars and Trucks rules which establish a higher standard than the federal baseline.
Regulate Locally: Set strict emissions regulations on local oil and gas production.
Enforce Liability: Pass laws requiring fossil fuel companies to pay for climate-related damages.
Legislation: S.2444 - End Polluter Welfare Act of 2025
