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Proposed EPA Rule Would Eliminate Key Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards from the Power Industry
Principal Air Quality and Noise Team Lead
Bill Karl
Bill has more than 30 years of professional experience in environmental consulting, specializing in air regulatory assessment, permitting, and compliance. His experience includes federal and state air regulatory review and assessment, development of compliance strategies, preparation of air quality construction and operating permit applications for minor and major sources in both attainment and nonattainment areas, and on-site training. Bill has prepared Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) air construction permit applications and PSD netting analyses, which include best available control technology/lowest available emission rate analyses, and air dispersion modeling to assess impacts on existing air quality and greenhouse gas emissions. Bill has also prepared Clean Air Act (CAA) Title V permit applications and has provided expert witness testimony in the technical areas of air regulatory assessment, permitting, and compliance.
Air Quality and Noise Director
Brad Sohm
Brad has a background in chemical engineering and specializes in air quality compliance and permitting, noise impact analysis, health and safety, environmental site investigations, environmental remediation, and NEPA impact assessments.
Written By
Bill Karl
Principal Air Quality and Noise Team Lead
Brad Sohm
Air Quality and Noise Director
Posted
June 16, 2025
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On Wednesday, June 11, 2025, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a proposed rule that would repeal all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards for fossil fuel-fired power plants. The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on June 17, 2025. Specifically, the proposed rule would repeal the following New Source Performance Standards (NSPSs):
- NSPS Subpart TTTT, Standards of Performance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions for Electric Generating Units (EGUs)
- NSPS Subpart TTTTa, Standards of Performance for GHG Emissions for Modified Coal-Fired Steam EGUs and New Construction and Reconstruction Stationary Combustion Turbine EGUs
- NSPS Subpart UUUUb, Emission Guidelines for GHG Emissions for Electric Utility Generating Units
NSPS Subpart TTTTa requires all new and reconstructed stationary combustion turbine EGUs, operating as base load units, to meet emission standards equivalent to installing carbon capture and sequestration technology by January 1, 2032.
The proposed rule states that GHG emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants do not contribute significantly to dangerous air pollution and that cost-effective GHG control measures, such as carbon capture and sequestration, are not reasonably available.
The EPA is also proposing to repeal the 2024 Final Action, which includes amendments to the National Emission Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) Subpart UUUUU, Mercury and Air Toxic Standards (MATS) Rule.
Review the Proposed Repeal of GHG Standards
Review the Proposed Repeal of MATS Amendments
SWCA Can Help
Please contact SWCA Environmental Consultant’s air quality experts to stay current with the development of these proposed rules, anticipated legal challenges, and how they could potentially affect the development or operation of your fossil fuel-fired power plant.