Trump administration repeals Biden rule requiring 90% cut in power plant carbon emissions

[Financial News] The Trump administration said it would repeal restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions from fossil-fuel power plants established under the previous administration of former President Joe Biden.
Lee Zeldin, administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), announced the deregulation plan on the 14th local time, saying, "The Obama and Biden administrations waged a 'war on coal' for more than 15 years, trying to destroy reliable and affordable energy. The Trump administration will protect America's energy and make electricity affordable so that you can continue using it."
The announcement repeals a rule introduced by the Biden administration in 2024 that required the use of carbon-capture equipment, with the goal of cutting carbon emissions from fossil-fuel power plants by 90%.


Under the rule, existing coal-fired power plants and new gas-fired power plants must capture and store at least 90% of their carbon emissions by 2032. The Biden administration had expected the measure to prevent 1,200 premature deaths and 360,000 cases of asthma by 2035.
The Trump administration also plans to substantially repeal other greenhouse gas regulations, arguing that the EPA has no authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.
EPA Deputy Administrator Aaron Szabo explained, "If the legal determination that Congress did not grant the EPA authority to regulate power plant emissions is upheld, it could prevent the administration from pursuing climate-related regulations altogether."
The Trump administration previously repealed the Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding in February, which had served as the regulatory basis for vehicle exhaust and other emissions. It has now taken the same action against power plants, the second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions after vehicles.
Zeldin emphasized, "Repealing the emissions standards adopted during the Biden administration could save $310 billion (418 trillion won), and eliminating the remaining greenhouse gas regulations could save an additional $370 million."
He added, "People will see their electricity bills go down, and this is just the beginning. Realizing our energy potential means more jobs, lower prices and a prosperous America."


According to The Hill, repealing the power plant regulations is expected to lower electricity bills by an average of 1.4% in 2035.
Environmental groups and opposition lawmakers strongly objected. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) warned, "Ignoring the enormous harm caused by power plant pollution is a clear violation of the Clean Air Act and Supreme Court precedent," adding, "We will see you in court."
Former Vice President Al Gore, a Democrat, called it "a move that sends the United States in the opposite direction from the rest of the world." Gina McCarthy, who served as EPA administrator under the Obama administration, said, "The EPA has a duty to regulate sources of pollution, and power plants are among the largest sources of pollution in the United States." She added, "We will not stop fighting."
Industry groups, meanwhile, welcomed the decision. The National Mining Association said, "This action prevented a disastrous collision between the illegal and unworkable Biden-era rule and surging energy demand." It added that the move "corrected the serious mistake of misusing the Clean Air Act as a political tool to end coal-fired power generation in the United States."
America's Power, which represents the coal-fired power plant industry, also welcomed the decision, calling it "a reversal of the EPA's overreach." The group emphasized, "With electricity demand surging because of data centers, artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing, this action will protect consumers from higher electricity bills."
The Associated Press (AP) reported on the political climate in the United States, saying, "Former President Biden made combating climate change a central policy priority and created strict regulations, but the Trump administration has argued that 'fossil-fuel power plants do not make a meaningful contribution to climate change,' while groups representing the coal industry and power plants have called for the regulations to be repealed."
 


[email protected] Reporter Lee Seok-woo Reporter