The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) repealed the Biden-era rules limiting greenhouse gas emissions from coal and natural gas power plants, reports CNBC. The previous rule required these plants to control 90% of their carbon dioxide emissions.
The EPA said that the new rule, which is not finalized yet, would also “prevent future administrations from regulating power plant emissions to fight climate change.”
When the repeal was first proposed last year, it argued against the federal government regulating greenhouse gas emissions for that very reason, saying they didn’t have the authority under the Clean Air Act.
Associated Press report this is a move the Trump administration says will slash industry costs and unleash American energy.
Dr. Kevin D. Dayaratna, vice president at Advancing American Freedom (AAF), says this is a great idea.
“To unleash these barriers that prevent energy from really flourishing and helping our society to flourish in the future. Energy is the fundamental building block to society and to flourishing civilization, and we need to really liberate it from unnecessary government shackles,” Dayaratna states.
The repeal is expected to face immediate legal challenges from environmental groups, who warn that stripping away national climate protections will drive up pollution and harm public health.
But Dayaratna argues that the regulations do little to impact global temperatures while holding back economic growth.
“Even if you were to throw all CO2 emissions out the window by abating CO2 emissions right now, you would have a trivial impact on climate change by the end of the century... So, the bottom line is that energy needs to be available and abundant,” Dayaratna says.
EPA officials say the rollback will give utilities the flexibility to make the best decisions for ratepayers, protecting grid reliability amid surging electricity demand.
CNBC points out that this repeal comes at a time when the cost of living is a big concern for the upcoming midterm elections and when gasoline and diesel prices are high due to the war with Iran.
