The administration of Donald Trump is preparing to announce the repeal of a key climate rule from the Joe Biden era. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Monday, 14 September 2026, plans to repeal restrictions on carbon dioxide emissions from coal- and gas-fired power plants.
The announcement will be made by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin at the G20 energy ministers' meeting in Houston. According to sources familiar with the plans, this will complete a series of steps to repeal the most significant climate policies of Presidents Biden and Barack Obama.
Biden's 2024 rule required existing coal plants and new gas plants to substantially reduce emissions, including through carbon capture and storage technologies. It was estimated that it would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1 billion metric tons by 2047.
The US power sector accounts for nearly a quarter of national greenhouse gas emissions. If this sector were a separate country, it would rank among the five largest polluters in the world, after China, the United States as a whole, India, and Russia.
Environmentalists and energy experts oppose the repeal. They note that the step could not only remove current restrictions but also deprive future administrations of the ability to regulate power plant emissions under the Clean Air Act.
Along with repealing the standards, according to sources, the EPA may propose a separate rule repealing the scientific finding that greenhouse gas emissions from power plants pose a threat to health and the environment. This would effectively strip the agency of its authority to regulate such emissions.
The Trump administration asserts that repealing the rules will lower costs for companies and help "unleash" American energy. Zeldin has previously stated that the measure would save the industry about 120 million dollars a year.
How will this step affect global efforts to combat climate change?
Environmental groups have already condemned the plans, calling them reckless and promising lawsuits. They emphasize that abandoning regulation of a quarter of the country's climate pollution will lead to more extreme weather events.
