EPA announces unprecedented rollback on air pollution limits for power plants — health experts warn this could lead to biggest increase in pollution

The Environmental Protection Agency disclosed plans to roll back a crucial rule limiting power plant pollution, the Guardian recently reported.  

What's happening?

In April 2024, the EPA finalized a set of rules curtailing greenhouse gases emitted by coal-powered plants.

The rules would "significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from existing coal-fired power plants and from new natural gas turbines, ensuring that all long-term coal-fired plants and base load new gas-fired plants control 90% of their carbon pollution," per an archived copy of the guidelines hosted on the agency's website. 

As of June 12, text on the same page had been updated, reading in part: "On June 11, 2025, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin proposed to repeal all 'greenhouse gas' emissions standards for the power sector under Section 111 of the Clean Air Act."

Citing what he called the "climate change cult," Zeldin spoke at a June 11 event disclosing the proposed rollbacks. "We choose to both protect the environment and grow the economy," Zeldin said.

Why is the EPA's pollution rule rollback so important?

In an April 2024 fact sheet, the EPA provided projections for how much the new rule would lower pollution.

As written, the guidance was "projected to reduce CO2 emissions in the power sector to more than 62% below 2022 levels, and more than 75% below 2005 emission levels (the historical emissions peak) by 2035," the EPA calculated.

CBS News emphasized a concerning angle in their coverage of Zeldin's announcement. In an accompanying press release, the EPA acknowledged plans to "work [on and] publish a finding that greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel power plants 'do not contribute significantly to dangerous air pollution.'"

As NASA reiterated in 2024, scientific data "continues to show that human activities (primarily the human burning of fossil fuels) have warmed Earth's surface and its ocean basins, which in turn have continued to impact Earth's climate."

The rule Zeldin intends to repeal had the potential to hold the dirty fuel industry accountable and establish federally enforceable pollution limits. 

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Without oversight, corporations tend to prioritize profits over reducing pollution and limiting the industry's known adverse impact on clean air and drinking water.

What's being done about the EPA's proposed air pollution rollback?

On June 11, over 200 health experts signed a letter addressed to Zeldin.

"As health experts, we write to share our grave concern at EPA's effort to rescind dozens of pollution protections for millions, a direct contradiction to the Environmental Protection Agency's mission of protecting public health and the environment and your expressed promise to ensure every American's access to clean air," it began. 

Rescinding the rules "would lead to the biggest pollution increases in decades and is a blatant give-away to polluters," they added. 

"Everyone knows that climate and clean air protections improve public health. Combined, the air pollution standards finalized by the EPA … between 2021 and 2024 will save over 200,000 lives and avoid over 100 million asthma attacks in the U.S. through 2050, and these standards will deliver more than $250 billion in net benefits each year," the letter continued.

According to the Guardian, the EPA's planned rollback will include a period for public comment, and the outlet anticipated that the agency will face significant "legal challenges" over the repeal.

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