The Trump administration is proposing a plan that would allow the release of at least 12 times the amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere over the next decade than would be allowed under current regulations.
The Environmental Protection Agency wants to let states create their own emissions standards for coal-fired power plants. The agency estimates that would still lead to a decline in emissions over a decade, but it would be comparatively small.
The plan would roll back Obama-era climate change policies. The Washington Post reports emissions drops under the proposed rules would be equivalent to taking up to 5.3 million cars off the road. The Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan would have been equivalent to taking 75 million cars off the road.
President Donald Trump reportedly plans to announce the proposal as soon as Tuesday.
