Administrator Zeldin Announces Actions to Unleash American Energy at National Energy Dominance Council’s Advancing America’s Beautiful Clean Coal Event

Administrator Zeldin Announces Actions to Unleash American Energy at National Energy Dominance Council's Advancing America's Beautiful Clean Coal Event

September 29, 2025

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin, a member of the National Energy Dominance Council (NEDC), joined NEDC co-chair U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) Secretary Doug Burgum and U.S. Department of Energy Undersecretary Wells Griffith for Advancing America's Beautiful Clean Coal Event to highlight the Trump Administration's continued commitment to unleashing American energy dominance. At the event, Administrator Zeldin unveiled two major actions EPA is taking to provide affordable energy to American families while protecting human health and the environment. Both announcements work to advance President Trump's Unleashing American Energy Executive Order and Power the Great American Comeback.

"Americans are suffering because the past administration attempted to apply heavy-handed regulations to coal and other forms of energy it deemed unfavorable. It is time to restore common sense to the programs and regulations we use to protect human health and the environment," said EPA Administrator Zeldin. "Beautiful clean coal has been a reliable energy source supporting American communities and economic growth for generations. We can improve air quality in our national parks and protect our waterways while simultaneously unleashing domestic energy and reducing costs for American families."

In the first action, EPA will provide steam electric power generation with more time to comply with existing effluent limitations guidelines (ELGs) in order to affordably meet the nation's growing electricity demand, including for data centers and manufacturing. Through a proposed rule and a companion direct final rule, the agency will give coal-fired power plants compliance extensions for seven deadlines in the 2024 ELG rule-including zero-discharge limitations for flue gas desulfurization wastewater, bottom ash transport water, and combustion residual leachate. EPA is also requesting information on the viability of compliance pathways that may disincentivize continued coal combustion, and technology-based implementation challenges related to the 2024 ELG rule to inform potential future rulemaking to support practical, feasible, on-the-ground implementation of wastewater pollution discharge limits.

When implemented, the proposal will save up to $200 million annually in electricity costs that are ultimately borne by consumers. This action will boost industrial competitiveness, make America a leader in Artificial Intelligence, and provide reliable, low-cost, baseload energy, while protecting our nation's water resources under the Clean Water Act.

Following publication in the Federal Register, EPA will hold a 30-day public comment period. For more information on the proposed rule and companion direct final rule, please click here.

Additionally, Administrator Zeldin announced EPA is issuing an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) to solicit information from the public to assist in the development of regulatory changes on the implementation and structure of the Clean Air Act (CAA)'s Regional Haze Rule (RHR). Historically, the implementation of this program has imposed significant costs on power plants and other sectors, calling into question the supply of affordable and reliable energy for American families. After years of implementation and feedback from stakeholders, it is clear that the Regional Haze program is broken and needs significant revisions to clarify requirements and alleviate the unnecessary burdens on states and the regulated community, and more closely align with Congressionalintent.

The ANPRM will not impose any requirements but reflects EPA's commitment to cooperative federalism-pillar three of the Powering the Great American Comeback initiative. Under the current RHR, states must submit State Implementation Plans (SIPs) to manage visibility impairing pollutants affecting mandatory Class I Federal areas to demonstrate reasonable progress towards the national visibility goal under CAA section 169A(a)(1). EPA is seeking input regarding how the agency can meaningfully revise the RHR to streamline regulatory requirements impacting states' visibility improvement obligations under the CAA ensuring it reflects Congressional intent and recent improvements in air quality. We will take the information from the ANPRM to develop a proposed and final rule.

EPA will hold a 60-day public comment period after the proposal is published in the Federal Register. For more information on the ANPRM, please click here.

Background:

On March 12, 2025, Administrator Zeldin announced the agency's intent to move forward with both of these actions. These were released in conjunction with a number of historic actions to advance President Trump's Day One executive orders and Power the Great American Comeback. While accomplishing EPA's core mission of protecting human health and the environment, the agency is committed to fulfilling President Trump's promise to unleash American energy.

Under the Clean Water Act, EPA establishes national technology-based limits for pollution discharged from industrial sources to waterways. These limits are called ELGs, and they are implemented through permits under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). Permits are typically issued by states and are valid for 5 years. The ELGs for the Steam Electric Power Generating industry apply to power plants, including those that burn coal, create steam and generate electricity. These power plants often use large volumes of water in their operation and maintenance. Wastewater is treated to reduce pollutants before it is returned to the environment. The agency previously issued final regulations revising ELGs for steam electric power plants in 2015, 2020, and 2024.

The RHR was last revised in 2017. Currently, all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands are required to submit periodic comprehensive revisions of SIPs addressing regional haze visibility impairment by July 31, 2021, July 31, 2028, and every 10 years thereafter. Each SIP must contain a long-term strategy for making reasonable progress toward meeting the national goal of remedying any existing, and preventing any future, anthropogenic visibility impairment in Class I areas.

In Spring 2024, EPA opened a non-regulatory docket to solicit public feedback on a list of topics toimprove the implementation of the RHR in potential future rule revisions. EPA has reviewed all feedback received in the 2024 non-regulatory docket and on individual second planning period SIP actions.