On Monday, Sept. 14, the Environmental Protection Agency did two things that were expected since President Trump was re-elected.

• EPA finalized repeal of the Biden-era greenhouse-gas standards for coal-fired power plants and newly built natural-gas power plants.

• It also proposed rescission of greenhouse gas regulation related to the now rescinded endangerment finding as it pertains to power plants, saying in essence, greenhouse gas emissions from power plants are not the kind of dangerous air pollution EPA is permitted to regulate under the Clean Air Act.

Both are expected to face legal challenges.

Nothing in the science of climate change is different because of EPA action this week compared to previous. It remains a fact that carbon dioxide contributes to a warming planet, and such warming has negative consequences for humans. What has changed is power plant operators would be freed from a financial burden of compliance that protects public health. Will people die because of these changes? No one in authority appears to be thinking or caring about an answer to that question.

I have been writing about power plants and their pollution since I began posting on Blog for Iowa in February 2009. My first post was titled, “Open Letter to Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Concerning the Proposed Marshalltown Coal Plant.”

I have opinions about this week’s EPA actions by the EPA. However, let’s discuss what’s going on in the Trump administration’s EPA.

Trump’s EPA targeted the Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding, a 2009 determination by the EPA under the Clean Air Act, stating that greenhouse gases threaten public health and welfare. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin finalized repeal of the endangerment finding on February 12, 2026. That is that, well, not really. The struggle over rescission has now moved to the legal system. Will the U.S. Supreme Court uphold the rescission? I assume the issue will make it to and be decided by SCOTUS. That will be a consequential decision.

This week’s proposal pertains to eliminating greenhouse gas regulation for power plants, which are point source polluters. EPA’s proposal argues that Clean Air Act does not give EPA authority to regulate power-plant CO2 on the basis of climate change. If the courts determine rescission of the endangerment finding is valid, then this could come into play. The news cycle is faster than our legal system can move.

The reaction to this news was immediate. Brian Campbell, Executive Director of Physicians for Social Responsibility, represents one of several organizations to move quickly. He issued this action alert:

Monday, the Trump Administration took another reckless step backward in the fight against climate change by repealing power plant emissions standards for carbon — allowing dirty coal and gas plants to pump toxic, planet-warming pollution into our air without any restrictions. Contrary to what the EPA claimed in their press release, we know that power plant CO2 emissions and co-pollutants have very real impacts on Americans’ health — causing asthma, heart disease, and respiratory illnesses — while driving climate catastrophes and extreme weather events across the globe. We published a report on this just last year! As health professionals and advocates, we know climate change is a health emergency, created by the fossil fuel industry, and Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) is taking action by: Filing two lawsuits against the Trump Administration and its attempt to repeal the endangerment finding on greenhouse gases and rollback of standards on toxic mercury emissions
Activating our network to testify at EPA’s upcoming hearings and to submit a flood of public comments on their proposal to gut pollution limits on power plants
Mobilizing health professionals and their trusted voices to expose and raise awareness of the direct health impacts of these rollbacks on families and communities We need your help to power these legal and advocacy battles, because this Administration cares more about lining the pockets of fossil fuel companies than protecting your health and the health of our loved ones.
Demand Climate Action NOW
Let’s fight back together.

When President Richard Nixon established the Environmental Protection Agency in 1970, those of us who advocated for protecting the environment felt it was a positive move. It was, although like anything related to politics, change was not permanent. Reach out to your local environmental group and see how you can get involved. We are needed now, more than ever.