The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Sept. 14, 2026, repealed Biden-era rules limiting greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, a move praised by coal interests but criticized by environmental groups as a threat to climate goals.
The decision, announced by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, directly targets regulations that aimed to cut carbon pollution from coal and gas-fired power plants, which are Kentucky’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. The repeal, part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to roll back climate policies, has immediate implications for energy production and environmental health in the state.
EPA’s Decision and Its Immediate Impact
The EPA’s action voids rules that required power plants to adopt control technologies that are not adequately demonstrated,
according to the agency, which argued the standards exceeded the agency's authority.
The move is expected to save $310bn (£223bn) in regulatory costs, as reported by Yahoo.com, and reduce energy prices. However, the agency also noted that safeguards against hazardous air pollutants
would remain to safeguard human health.
Kentucky, where coal- and gas-fired power plants release more than 50 million tons of carbon dioxide each year, faces a direct impact. The state’s electricity generation in 2024 was more carbon-intense than every state except West Virginia. The repeal aligns with the ambitions of utilities like LG&E and KU, which had asked the Trump administration to immediately work to repeal
the rules, citing concerns over grave consequences for the reliability of the Nation's power system and the cost of electricity.
Reactions from Industry and Environmental Groups
Republican leaders and industry groups, including the Kentucky Coal Association, celebrated the decision. U.S. Rep. Andy Barr called it a historic decision
that would put us closer to ending the war on coal, bringing back Kentucky coal jobs, and lowering energy costs for Kentuckians across the Commonwealth.
The Kentucky Coal Association celebrated the repeal.
Environmental groups, however, condemned the move as shortsighted. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) said shortly after the announcement that it would go to court to block the administration’s repeal, which the group said abandons commonsense limits on carbon pollution from the largest industrial source.
USA Today reported that the NRDC argued the decision ignores the evidence for current and future harm to human health and welfare created by human-caused greenhouse gases,
as noted in a National Academies report last year.
The EPA’s rollback also faces scrutiny for its broader implications. A 2022 Supreme Court ruling had already lost the agency some of its powers to limit greenhouse gas emissions when the court ruled in favour of 19 states and some of the nation’s largest coal companies, and the latest action further undermines federal climate initiatives. The agency’s move to prevent future administrations from regulating power plant emissions has drawn criticism from scientists and policymakers who warn of long-term environmental risks.
Legal Challenges and Future Outlook
The repeal is likely to face legal challenges from environmental groups. The NRDC has already indicated it will go to court to block the administration’s repeal, arguing the decision abandons commonsense limits on carbon pollution from the largest industrial source.
Similar lawsuits could follow, as environmental advocates push to reinstate protections for public health and the environment.
The Trump administration’s broader strategy to roll back climate regulations has escalated, including the repeal in February of the endangerment finding
that underpinned federal greenhouse gas rules. The EPA’s latest action is part of this pattern, with Zeldin framing it as a way to ensure affordable and reliable energy supplies and drive down the costs of transportation, heating, utilities, farming, and manufacturing while boosting our national security.
For Kentucky, the repeal could slow the transition to cleaner energy. While PPL Corp., the parent company of LG&E and KU, has a net zero goal of 2050, the utilities are spending billions of dollars to build new gas-fired power plants in Kentucky with decades-long service lives. Critics argue this undermines long-term climate goals, while industry leaders maintain the move is necessary to keep energy costs low and maintain grid reliability.
The immediate next step is legal action, with environmental groups expected to file lawsuits challenging the EPA’s authority to repeal the rules. Meanwhile, the administration’s remaining climate policies face further scrutiny, as the Trump-era changes reshape federal environmental regulation.
The decision also highlights the growing divide between energy production and climate action. As the U.S. grapples with the economic and environmental impacts of its energy choices, the outcome of these legal battles will determine the future of power plant regulations and the nation’s path toward reducing emissions.