WASHINGTON (October 1, 2026)—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) heard public testimony today regarding its new proposal to entirely remove the agency's authority to regulate the power sector’s heat-trapping emissions under the Clean Air Act. The proposal was released alongside the agency's final repeal of the power plant carbon standards, while earlier this week, the Trump administration also rolled back fuel economy standards. These attacks are part of a series of dozens of key health and climate protection rollbacks by the Trump administration.
Dr. Rachel Cleetus, Climate program director with Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) testified in opposition to the proposal. You can find the full testimony here with an excerpt below:
“This proposal stands in direct contradiction to decades of scientific evidence underscoring the human health harms from heat-trapping emissions... At a time when people across our nation are already experiencing costly and deadly climate-fueled disasters—including extreme heatwaves, floods, drought and wildfires—EPA should be doing everything it can to protect communities, businesses and our economy from the mounting toll. Instead, if this proposal is finalized, it would exacerbate the harms and costs to everyone.
“EPA should not be forcing a false choice between our health and our prosperity. In fact, it is abundantly clear that the economic costs and human toll from climate change are already rapidly escalating... EPA should do its job and stop looking for dubious ways to abdicate its responsibility to protect the public while propping up the interests of fossil fuel polluters.”
Public comment closes November 2, 2026. If you would like to speak with Dr. Cleetus or any other expert at UCS, please contact UCS Communications Officer Daela Taeoalii-Tipton at dtaeoaliitipton@ucs.org.
Additional UCS Resources:
- Statement from Dr. Cleetus on EPA power plant carbon standards repeal
- Statement from Dr. Cleetus on EPA endangerment finding repeal
- Testimony from Dr. Cleetus on EPA endangerment finding repeal
- Statement on weakening of nitrogen oxide standards for gas turbines
- Statement on elimination of rules strengthening regulation of mercury and other hazardous air pollution from coal plants