EPA head approves proposal reversing Obama-era Clean Power Plan

EPA head approves proposal reversing Obama-era Clean Power Plan
By Brett Samuels - 08/20/18 07:39 PM EDT


Acting Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler signed off on a proposal Monday to reverse a landmark Obama-era measure that placed restrictions on the coal industry in an effort to curb greenhouse gas emissions, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The news outlet reviewed a copy of the long-expected proposal, which would do away with restrictions on coal plants and leave regulation of the industry up to the states. The Trump administration's plan would also curb mandates requiring coal plants to overhaul technology, and would allow the plants to produce energy with less fuel.

“The entire Obama administration plan was centered around doing away with coal,” Wheeler told The Wall Street Journal in an interview.

President Trump is expected to formally announce the measure on Tuesday during a stop in West Virginia. The president has often railed against the “war on coal," and has pledged to revitalize the industry, reversing course from the Obama administration's efforts to pivot toward renewable energy sources.

Critics have raised concerns that the Trump administration's rules will significantly weaken efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions.

The measure, which is likely to spark a protracted court battle, is the latest instance of the Trump administration seeking to roll back Obama-era regulations.

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http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/402765-epa-administrator-signs-proposal-reversing-obama-era-coal