West Virginia's coal industry is celebrating the EPA's decision to repeal the Biden-era carbon rule for power plants. The state coal association says the rule would have forced existing coal plants to install carbon capture equipment that is not proven at commercial scale. EPA estimates the repeal saves more than $300 billion, a figure that will likely be debated since it depends on projected compliance costs. The repeal does not end the policy fight. The EPA is also proposing to drop remaining greenhouse gas standards for power plants under Section 111 of the Clean Air Act. That would leave future carbon regulation of the electricity sector to Congress or state governments. For West Virginia, the immediate concern is keeping coal plants running for grid reliability and avoiding rate increases. For anyone tracking emissions policy, the open question is how much additional CO2 the decision will allow in a sector that still needs deep cuts.
