WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
  • Zeldin says the repeal delivers more than $300 billion in regulatory savings.
  • The administration is prioritizing reliable, affordable baseload power.
  • Zeldin says EPA decisions will follow the best reading of federal law.
  • The move supports Trump’s broader energy dominance agenda.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin says the Trump administration has repealed the 2024 Biden power plant regulations in what he described as the largest deregulatory action ever taken in the U.S. power sector, with more than $300 billion in projected regulatory savings for Americans.

Speaking with Tudor Dixon, Zeldin said the move is designed to restore reliable and affordable baseload power while reversing policies that he argued threatened active power plants across the country.

Dixon opened the exchange by asking about the repeal.

"You have repealed the 2024 Biden power plant regulations. Tell us a little bit about that," Dixon said.

Zeldin said he announced the action at the G20 Energy Abundance Ministerial in Houston, Texas, and characterized the repeal as historic in scale.

"This announcement that I just made at the G20 Energy Abundance Ministerial in Houston, Texas, is the power sector's largest deregulatory action in the United States history, and it's over $300 billion of regulatory savings for Americans," Zeldin said.

He said the EPA’s approach was based on its interpretation of federal law and followed a process that included public comments and engagement.

"It's a an effort to follow the best reading of the law. It's something that was done with a public comment period and public engagement. A lot of deliberation was put into this," Zeldin said.

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According to Zeldin, the Trump administration’s broader objective is to increase the availability of dependable baseload power rather than continue policies aimed at closing existing power plants.

"We believe at the Trump administration that we should be unleashing reliable, durable, affordable baseload power across this country, and reversing this pursuit to try to close down plants that are active all throughout the entire country," he said.

Zeldin said the administration is moving aggressively to reverse the previous regulatory approach.

"We're reversing that damage every single day, and we're doing without any apology or regret," Zeldin said.

He argued that the administration is responding to concerns from Americans about the economic impact of energy policy and rising costs.

"We're heeding the economic demands and concerns that we've heard from the American public. We are applying common sense," Zeldin said.

Zeldin also addressed how he intends to make decisions as EPA administrator, saying his standard is to follow what he believes is the best legal interpretation of federal statutes rather than impose policy beyond what Congress has authorized.

"And my message to members of Congress with all the decisions that I'll make here as EPA administrators: If you ever disagree with me, then try to change the law, because at the end of the day, I I pick up federal statute, I interpret the single best reading of that law, and that's what I follow," Zeldin said.

He added that Congress has the authority to change the statutes if lawmakers disagree with the administration’s interpretation.

"And if you want to change the law, then I'll follow that," Zeldin said.

Zeldin said the power plant repeal is one piece of President Donald Trump’s larger energy dominance agenda.

"So there's a lot of factors here that go into this process of implementing President Trump's energy dominance agenda," Zeldin said.

He pointed to several actions Trump took at the beginning of his administration, including declaring an energy emergency and creating the National Energy Dominance Council.

"He declared an energy emergency on day one. He created the National Energy Dominance Council on day one," Zeldin said.

The EPA, he said, is working with other federal agencies to carry out that agenda.

"We worked together with the Department of Energy, Department of Interior, and others," Zeldin said.

He closed by saying Americans expect the administration to follow through on its promise to expand reliable energy and undo the policies it inherited.

"And this is something that Americans know that they need to count on us to deliver and reverse that damage that we inherited."

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