US EPA Moves to Repeal Greenhouse Gas Limits on Power Plants
The Trump administration says it will eliminate the agency's authority to regulate carbon emissions from coal and gas plants under the Clean Air Act, a step experts say removes a major climate policy tool.
The US Environmental Protection Agency announced it will strip itself of its authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from coal and gas-fired power plants under the Clean Air Act, according to The Guardian.
The move comes on the heels of what the news outlet described as the hottest summer ever recorded in the United States, and would eliminate limits on emissions from power plants that scientists say contribute significantly to global warming.
The Clean Air Act has long served as a primary legal mechanism for federal regulation of pollutants, including greenhouse gases, from industrial sources such as power plants. By repealing its own regulatory authority in this area, the EPA would remove a tool that has been used to compel utilities to reduce emissions from coal and gas plants.
According to The Guardian, experts characterized the decision as a benefit to polluting industries and a significant weakening of the Clean Air Act's reach over the energy sector.
The report did not specify additional procedural steps, such as a public comment period or potential legal challenges, that could affect the timeline or implementation of the EPA's decision.
The Guardian's report did not include a detailed response from the EPA beyond confirmation of the agency's intent to relinquish its regulatory power over greenhouse gas emissions from these plants.
Sources
- US ends limits on coal and gas plant emissions, removing key tool to battle climate crisis — The Guardian — World
EGazette summarizes reporting from multiple sources; follow the links for the originals.
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