EPA erases limits on planet-warming pollution from power plants

Under Monday’s plan, power plants would still have some limits on how much mercury, arsenic and other contaminants they can emit.

1 minute read

September 15, 2026, 8:00 AM PDT

By Zachary Whalen


A tall, gray power plant billows smoke into a blue sky.

The power sector is the second largest source of carbon dioxide in the United States, which accumulates in the atmosphere and traps the sun's heat, raising temperatures and exacerbating extreme weather.  | Aaron of L.A. Photography

The Environmental Protection Agency announced on Sept. 14 that the United States will no longer limit the planet-warming pollution that power plants release while burning coal and gas, Maxine Joselow and Lisa Friedman write for the New York Times. The power sector is the second largest source of carbon dioxide in the United States, which accumulates in the atmosphere and traps the sun's heat, raising temperatures and exacerbating extreme weather.  

“The agency plans to argue Monday that greenhouse gases from power plants do not endanger human health or the environment, and therefore it lacks the legal authority to regulate these emissions under the Clean Air Act, according to the people familiar with the matter. If courts uphold this argument, it could prevent future administrations from restoring the restrictions,” the New York Times reports.

Under Monday’s plan, power plants would still have some limits on how much mercury, arsenic and other contaminants they can emit. 

Sunday, September 13, 2026 in New York Times

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