**EPA Drafting Regulation to End Federal Limits on Coal and Gas Power Plant Emissions**

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is in the process of drafting a new regulation that would remove all federal restrictions on emissions from coal and gas-fired power plants, according to documents referenced by the New York Times. This proposed regulation would undo years of efforts to control climate pollution in the United States and has the potential to increase energy costs by keeping costly coal plants operational longer.

This action represents a significant departure from the current administration's strategies aimed at reducing emissions from power plants and improving air quality. Last year, the Biden EPA implemented rules requiring coal and new natural gas power plants to either reduce or capture 90% of their climate pollution by 2032. However, an EPA spokesperson pointed to a 2022 Supreme Court decision that invalidated the Obama-era Clean Power Plan, expressing concerns that the Biden administration's replacement might also be viewed as overreaching and could jeopardize affordable and reliable electricity generation in the country.

The proposed regulation is being prepared for publication following an interagency review and subsequent approval by the EPA Administrator. According to the documents reviewed by the New York Times, the argument made is that the U.S. share of global power plant pollution has declined, and even complete cessation of emissions from U.S. power plants would not "meaningfully" enhance public health. This assertion is expected to face strong opposition from public health experts and organizations.

Power plants are a significant source of climate pollution in the U.S., responsible for about a quarter of the nation's total emissions. Despite this, U.S. power plants comprise only 3% of global climate pollution. The proposed regulation comes in the wake of an EPA announcement in March to roll back more than a dozen air pollution and climate rules established during the Biden administration.

Additionally, the EPA, under the Trump administration, indicated plans to reconsider and potentially overturn a crucial scientific finding on the dangers of climate pollution. This finding has been fundamental to federal regulations aimed at managing climate-related pollution. Overruling this precedent would eliminate the EPA's authority to control pollution contributing to global warming.

"President Trump promised to kill the Clean Power Plan in his first term, and we continue to build on that progress now," stated EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. The proposed regulation signals a stark shift in U.S. climate policy and has sparked considerable debate regarding the future of environmental regulation and climate change mitigation.