EPA to repeal Biden-era power plant carbon standards

The Environmental Protection Agency is expected to announce a final rule on Monday repealing key provisions of the Biden administration's 2024 carbon pollution standards for fossil fuel power plants. The move, to be unveiled by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin at a G20 energy ministers meeting in Houston, Texas, would eliminate requirements for coal and gas plants to install carbon capture technology to reduce emissions. According to reports citing sources familiar with the agency's plans, the EPA will also propose a supplemental rule to potentially remove all greenhouse gas requirements for power plants, including the 2015 standards for new coal-fired facilities. The administration argues the repeal will strengthen the power grid and lower electricity costs for consumers. The 2024 standards finalized under former President Joe Biden were designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by one billion metric tonnes by 2047. The electricity sector is responsible for nearly a quarter of U.S. greenhouse gas pollution. Environmental groups and some legal experts have condemned the expected rollback, warning it will worsen climate change and face immediate legal challenges.