The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is poised to formally repeal carbon pollution standards for coal- and gas-fired power plants, Bloomberg News reported on Sunday, citing people familiar with the matter.
The latest climate rollback is expected to come as soon as Monday on the sidelines of the G20 energy ministers’ meeting in Houston, Texas, according to Bloomberg.
Last year, U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration proposed repealing rules passed under former President Joe Biden to curb emissions of carbon dioxide, mercury and other air pollutants from power plants.
This week, the EPA is finalizing a piece of the initial proposal, and agency officials also plan to propose a separate rule repealing the federal finding that greenhouse gases from power plants specifically pose a threat, Bloomberg said.
Reuters could not immediately verify the report. The EPA did not respond to a request for comment outside business hours.
The repeal is an important step in Trump’s broader strategy on environmental regulations he views as unnecessary barriers to industrial development and expanded energy production.
Biden’s carbon emission rules for power plants would have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 1 billion metric tons by 2047, a crucial part of his administration’s fight against climate change.
The electricity sector is responsible for nearly a quarter of U.S. greenhouse gas pollution.
(Reporting by Chandni Shah in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)