The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced it will scrap some rules that limit pollution from coal and gas power plants. The government agency added that it is seeking to get rid of all greenhouse gas rules for the power sector, and will take steps to prevent future administrations from regulating power plant emissions.
BBC News reports the EPA claims that getting rid of a majority of the climate rules introduced during the presidency of Joe Biden would save $310 billion and reduce energy prices.
The EPA said in a statement that it had determined the Biden-era rules on power plant emissions had "exceeded the agency's authority,” and that the regulations required "control technologies that are not adequately demonstrated, effectively forcing plants to retire rather than setting standards they could actually meet."
The EPA said its final rule is expected to “unleash the full potential of America’s vast energy resources,” including coal and natural gas, and that it expects coal production for power sector use to increase by more than 10 times.
“For over 15 years, the Obama and Biden administrations implemented a war on coal to destroy reliable and affordable energy. The Trump Administration has come in to protect American energy and to make sure you can afford to keep the lights on,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin.
