US Removes Climate Pollution Rules for Power Plants

The decision ends almost 20 years of US climate policy, which began in 2007 when the Supreme Court said the EPA must control greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act. Zeldin says Biden's rules went beyond the agency's legal powers and were designed to force plants to close. The EPA believes the change will save the industry $310 billion and says US power plants have no real effect on global climate change. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said coal and gas keep electricity supplies stable, and the coal industry points to rising demand from data centres and artificial intelligence. However, power plants produce about a quarter of the country's climate pollution, second only to transport.

The EPA expects coal use for electricity to grow more than ten times, and Zeldin has promised lower energy bills. But environmental and health groups are worried. An analysis by the Associated Press estimated that the rules could prevent about 30,000 deaths and save $275 billion every year by reducing smog, mercury and tiny particles that harm the lungs. The change would also mean more planet-warming emissions. Several groups plan to fight the decision in court.