EPA formally proposes to roll back 2024 MATS tightening for coal units

The EPA, or Environmental Protection Agency, has proposed a rollback to the 2024 MATS(Mercury and Air Toxics Standards) for coal-fired EGUs. The proposed rollback aligns with the Trump administration’s day-one executive orders that aim at easing the regulatory measures put in place by the previous administration, which was sued by 23 states following their implementation of tightening rules on coal units. The proposed change would revert to the original 2012 MATS requirements.

The EPA has found that the 2024 standards exceed reasonable thresholds

The proposed repeal would restore monitoring compliance flexibility for coal-fired EGUs. Which the EPA claims were a more acceptable threshold for the energy sector to operate with. The amendments implemented by the previous administration had lowered filterable particulate matter limits from 0.030 lb/MMBtu to 0.010 lb/MMBtu and mercury limits for lignite units from 4.0 lb/TBtu to 1.2 lb/TBtu.

The proposal is backed by several politicians and representatives of the EPA, including:

• U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
• House Energy and Commerce Chairman Brett Guthrie (R-KY-02)
• U.S. Representative Troy Balderson (R-OH-12)
• Carol Miller (R-WV-01)
• Dan Meuser (R-PA-09)
• Rob Bresnahan (R-PA-08)
• Michael Rulli (R-OH-06)
• Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin

What the EPA is proposing is truly remarkable and has several environmental organizations up in arms. It plans to repeal all “greenhouse gas” emissions standards for the power sector under Section 111 of the Clean Air Act (CAA), as well as repeal amendments to the 2024 Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS). It claims the Biden administration was responsible for several coal-fired plants shutting down in recent years.

The EPA is looking to align with the current President’s executive orders

The EPA has taken the stance that the Biden-era regulations have hampered the coal, oil, and gas-fired power plants’ operations and increased the cost for all the companies involved, which has resulted in the average American family experiencing high daily living costs.

“Affordable, reliable electricity is key to the American dream and a natural byproduct of national energy dominance. According to many, the primary purpose of these Biden-Harris administration regulations was to destroy industries that didn’t align with their narrow-minded climate change zealotry. Together, these rules have been criticized as being designed to regulate coal, oil and gas out of existence.” – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin

The EPA is hailing the proposal as “the most consequential day of deregulation in the history of the United States.” The Biden administration was, according to the EPA and the Trump administration, were only concerned with the optics of implementing changes to the industry that gave them a sense of moral superiority without considering the rise in energy demands that has come off the back of the explosion of AI companies in the United States.

In March of this year, the EPA announced its plans to reconsider the Biden-era MATS requirements, which led to several sites being forced to close down; however, those sites may have the chance to reopen once the new proposal passes the necessary legal hurdles.

Can the rollback of regulations have an immediate impact on the downstream sector in the US

While we understand the need to maintain a perpetual balance between keeping the environment safe and delivering cheap, sustainable, and reliable power for the American citizens. The Biden administration did not consider the long-term effects their policies would have on the average American family. The repeal of those Biden-era limitations has been welcomed by the sector overall and will surely assist the workers in the sector who have suffered at the hands of the regulations that led to several closures and job losses. Hopefully, the sector can recover and deliver the same standards of power production that America is known for.