“Affordable, reliable electricity is key to the American dream and a natural byproduct of national energy dominance,” said EPA Administrator Zeldin. “According to many, the primary purpose of these Biden-Harris administration regulations was to destroy industries that didn't align with their narrow-minded climate change zealotry. Together, these rules have been criticized as being designed to regulate coal, oil and gas out of existence.”
Based on EPA’s estimates, the proposal to repeal greenhouse gas emission standards would save the power sector $19 billion in regulatory costs over two decades beginning in 2026, or about $1.2 billion a year.
EPA estimates the proposed repeal of the 2024 MATS Amendments would save $1.2 billion in regulatory costs over a decade, or about $120 million a year.
Joining the Administrator in the announcement were Pennsylvania members of Congress Dan Meuser and Rob Bresnahan.
Click Here for more on the greenhouse gas emission standard repeal.
Click Here for more on the mercury and air toxics standard repeal.
Click Here for the EPA announcement.
Reactions
The York County-based Evangelical Environmental Network's President & CEO Rev. Dr. Jessica Moerman released the following statement on the EPA proposal--
“The EPA’s rollback of mercury pollution safeguards flies in the face of the national movement to eliminate environmental toxins from our food, air, land, and water.
“Pregnant women are advised not to eat certain fish due to the danger mercury poses to their child’s development, such as intellectual disabilities and birth defects.
“The EPA’s Mercury and Air Toxics Standard has been a tremendous success, defending the health of our children by reducing mercury emissions from power plants by 90% since it was enacted.
“The proposed repeal of this successful standard to rein in the largest source of industrial emissions of mercury will make it harder for mothers to ensure their children reach their God-given potential.
“We also lament the proposed repeal of protections to limit carbon pollution from carbon-based power plants.
“The oil and gas industry has known for decades that failing to capture their carbon emissions would harm communities, families, and businesses by fueling more extreme weather, as witnessed last year in Asheville, NC.
“At a time when we should be deploying our God-given ingenuity to produce clean and abundant energy, today’s proposed repeal of the power sector carbon pollution rule enables this decades-long failure to persist at the expense of community safety and our children’s future.
“EEN has long held that market-based approaches, like a carbon pollution fee, are the best way to encourage emission reductions.
“Therefore, we call on Congress to make market-based solutions to pollution a priority.”
Alex Bomstein, Clean Air Council Executive Director, issued the following statement--
“By rolling back critical safeguards, EPA is prioritizing Trump’s polluters-first agenda over the health of American families suffering from developmental damage, cancer, and cardiovascular illness caused by needless heavy metal pollution.
“EPA Administrator’s Zeldin’s claim that promoting coal plants will lead to American ‘energy dominance’ is akin to insisting that we can lead the way in transportation by bolstering manufacturing of horse-drawn carriages or in communication technology by promoting production of corded telephones.
“We should instead be at the forefront of the global renewable energy revolution that vastly reduces harmful pollution and protects our health.”
NewsClips:
-- TribLive/AP: EPA Moves To Repeal Rules Limiting Greenhouse Gas, Mercury, Toxics Emissions From US Power Plants
-- WCCS: PA Coal Alliance Statement On EPA Roll Back
-- Utility Dive: EPA Proposes Slashing Power Plant Carbon, Mercury Emission Limits
-- Bloomberg: President’s Repeal Of Pollution Rules Paves Way For New Dirty Power Plants
Related Articles This Week:
-- 25 Environmental Groups; Local Government Associations Oppose House Bill To Fast Track Large-Scale Energy Generation, Storage Projects Proposed By Gov. Shapiro [PaEN]
-- Gov. Shapiro Announces Amazon Plans To Invest $20 Billion In Pennsylvania For A.I. Data Center Infrastructure; Amazon Told PUC It Has Net-Zero Carbon Emissions Goal By 2040 [PaEN]
-- Better Path Coalition: Data Centers - Dirty Energy Deals Anything But Cheap [PaEN]
NewsClips:
-- Utility Dive: Talen Energy To Sell Amazon 1.9 GW From Susquehanna Nuclear Power Plant In PA In ‘Front Of The Meter Deal’ To Supply Data Centers In PA
-- The Center Square: Amazon Pledges $20 Billion For New Data Centers In PA; Data Center Energy Consumption Strains Consumers’ Wallets, Compounds Burdens On Energy Grid
-- Wall Street Journal: US Electric Bills Headed Higher: Forecast Of Hotter-Than-Normal Summer, More Expensive Natural Gas Mean Pricier Power
-- Reuters: Data Center Demand To Push US Power Use To Record Highs In 2025-26, EIA Says
-- Sierra Club Of PA: June 23 Webinar Analyzing The Governor's Lightning Energy Plan, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
-- PublicSource.org: President’s ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill’ Could Spell Layoffs For Pittsburgh-Area Clean Energy Firms
[Posted: June 11, 2025] PA Environment Digest
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