EPA Administrator Zeldin announces proposal to repeal Biden-era climate rules regarding power plants

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin announced a proposal Wednesday to repeal the Biden administration’s regulations on fossil-fuel power plants – often referred to as the Clean Power Plan 2.0. 

The EPA is also proposing a repeal of Biden’s Mercury and Air Toxics Standards. 

Zeldin stressed that the proposed repeals are not final rules. They will go through a formal rule-making process that includes public comment. He also explained that the repeals, if finalized, will not allow plants to emit more than they do today. Standards set prior to 2024 would still be in effect, even if the proposed rule is finalized. 

“I apologize if I just killed some of the pre-written headlines,” Zeldin said. 

The rules, Zeldin said, would have regulated reliable, affordable energy from natural gas and coal “out of existence." The rules were based on what Zeldin called a “false binary choice” in which America must choose between protecting the environment.

The Clean Power Plan 2.0 requires all coal plants to install carbon capture technology by 2039, which captures and stores emissions in underground geological formations. It also requires new natural gas-fired power plants to install the technology, with requirements starting in 2032. Experts warned the rules would drive up electricity costs and destabilize the grid by disincentivizing reliable power from coal and natural gas in favor of intermittent wind and solar power.