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illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Washington Post or enjoy below:
🗞️ Driving the news: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed repealing key Biden-era regulations limiting greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, along with recently tightened mercury and toxic pollutant standards
• The move, announced Wednesday, signals a major reversal in U.S. federal climate policy under the Trump administration, with broad implications for public health and the country’s emissions trajectory
🔭 The context: Power plants are the second-largest source of carbon emissions in the United States, after transportation
• The repealed rules were central to the Biden administration’s strategy to curb climate change and reduce toxic air pollution
• The current EPA, led by Administrator Lee Zeldin, frames the rollback as a move to protect grid reliability and reduce energy costs, aligning with broader efforts to dismantle environmental regulations established during the Obama and Biden presidencies
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Rolling back these emissions limits could significantly increase national greenhouse gas output and toxic air pollution, undermining U.S. climate commitments and exacerbating health risks, particularly in vulnerable communities
• Mercury, arsenic, and other pollutants from coal plants pose severe neurological and carcinogenic threats
• Weakening oversight at this scale risks stalling progress toward cleaner energy and contradicts decades of scientific consensus and environmental policy evolution
⏭️ What's next: The EPA’s proposals are expected to face immediate legal challenges from environmental groups, with litigation likely extending well into 2026
• Additionally, the Trump administration is reportedly considering the repeal of the 2009 “endangerment finding,” a foundational legal basis for regulating greenhouse gases
• Any such repeal would trigger major legal, political, and institutional battles, potentially reshaping the federal government’s role in climate regulation
💬 One quote: “By gutting these clean air standards, the EPA is giving a free pass to the nation’s dirtiest power plants and most toxic polluters.” — Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
📈 One stat: Power plants account for approximately 25% of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions — making them the second-largest emitting sector after transportation
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