Policy and Legal

The Environmental Protection Agency’s announcement Wednesday that it plans to repeal the previous administration’s power plant regulations “is a critical and welcome step toward rebalanced regulations and American energy dominance,” NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons said yesterday.

What’s going on: EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said at a Wednesday press conference that Biden-era limits on greenhouse gas emissions from gas- and coal-fired power plants “suffocate our economy in order to protect the environment” (CBS News).

• The rules the EPA is proposing to roll back mandated that existing coal-fired plants and new natural gas–fired plants reduce or capture 90% of their emissions by 2032, among other requirements.
• Finalized by the previous administration in 2024, the regulations also contained an unrealistic timeline for power plants to adopt new technologies, especially given the need for permitting reform, the NAM said in April 2024.

Why it’s important: The 2024 power plant rules are a threat to affordable baseload energy—which manufacturers require to do their jobs—and put grid security at risk, Timmons said.

• “Repealing this unbalanced rule will enhance manufacturers’ access to America’s abundant energy resources and ensure that the industry has the power it needs to drive the American economy.”

NAM in the news: The Washington Examiner cited the NAM’s response to the EPA decision, quoting Timmons’ statement.