Throughout Barack Obama’s and Joe Biden’s presidencies, the Democratic administrations took steps to address the climate crisis by imposing pollution limits on, among other things, coal-fired power plants.
Donald Trump’s administration continues to take dramatic steps in the opposite direction.
In the latest development, the Republican’s Environmental Protection Agency confirmed Monday that it is scrapping rules that limit climate pollution from power plants fueled by coal and natural gas. As The Associated Press noted, the move, according to Trump’s EPA, would “remove more than $300 billion in costs for the industry.”
While it’s true that removing the environmental safeguards would represent a financial windfall for the companies that own these power plants, critics pointed to the far greater costs to the public.
Indeed, The New York Times noted, “Environmentalists and energy experts have opposed the move, which has been in the works since last spring. They have noted that if the U.S. power sector were its own country, it would be the fifth-largest climate polluter in the world after China, the entire United States, India and Russia.”
The same report added, “Earlier this year, the E.P.A. eliminated greenhouse gas standards for car tailpipes and eased restrictions on planet-warming chemicals used in air-conditioners and refrigerators. Most consequentially, the agency repealed the scientific determination that gave it the legal authority to create climate regulations in the first place.”
Recent history suggests these new developments will spark federal litigation, which might very well lead to yet another fight at the U.S. Supreme Court. Environmental advocates have expressed concern that the dispute could open the door to the high court’s conservative majority prohibiting the EPA from regulating greenhouse gases altogether.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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