EPA reportedly to eliminate limits on greenhouse gas emissions from power plants

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Environmental Protection Agency is reportedly drafting a plan to eliminate limits on all greenhouse gases produced by coal and gas-fired power plants in the U.S. The New York Times reported it reviewed internal agency documents about the plan. 

Big changes could come to the power industry. 

“This is something that has gone back and forth for over a decade at this point,” said Byron Gary, program attorney for the Kentucky Resources Council.

The New York Times said that the EPA is proposing a regulation that would eliminate limits on greenhouse gas emissions from power plants.

According to the Times’ reporting, the EPA claims greenhouse gases from fossil fuel burning power plants, “aren’t contributing significantly to dangerous pollution”. 

“The idea that … power plants don’t make up a significant enough portion of global warming causing pollutants is astounding and just downright wrong,” Gary said.

The EPA said electric power is the second largest human source of greenhouse gases in the U.S. In Kentucky, the power industry is the number one human source of greenhouse gases, according to the EPA.

“Kentucky, because it is more reliance on fossil fuels for its generation of power than most other states, it does rank a little bit higher percentage wise here than certain other states,” Gary said.

Biden era regulations, that went into effect in 2024, said existing coal-fired and new natural gas-fired power plants must control 90% of their carbon pollution over the next few years. Dependable Power First Kentucky, a coalition concerned about Kentucky’s energy grid, said those regulations aren’t realistic.

“It would have raised all the consumers’ prices. The price everyone paid to turn on the lights would have went up; but also, it’s not just that, it’s the reliability. We just don’t have the energy infrastructure to do that, and the lights just wouldn’t have come on at times,” said Corey Elder, acting executive director for Dependable Power First Kentucky.

Elder said the EPA’s new proposal is a relief for Kentucky power plants. 

“Our top priority is just ensuring that the American people have reliable electricity and what this rule does is it gives our power producers more time to get there,” Elder said.

But moving away from fossil fuels altogether, the Kentucky Resources Council said, would help with the negative effects of climate change.

“It will also be more affordable and sustainable for Kentuckians. We’re just kicking the can down the road by not tackling this problem now,” Gary said.

The EPA administrator Lee Zeldin said the agency will make sure all Americans have access to reliable and affordable energy.

Spectrum News 1 reached out to the EPA to see what exactly it’s proposing. A spokesperson said the EPA is developing the proposed rule and it will be published once it has an interagency review and is signed by the administrator.