This week’s decision by the Environmental Protection Agency to repeal Biden-era rules to limit the carbon dioxide emissions from power plants received a strong show of support from the Petroleum Alliance of Oklahoma.
“This move by the Trump Administration restores the rule of law at EPA. It is good news for ratepayers, Oklahoma’s budget, the U.S. natural gas industry, and electric utilities serving customers statewide. It allows utilities to make power generation decisions based on reliability instead of pushing them toward intermittent, weather-dependent generation,” said Brook A. Simmons, President of the Alliance.
The EPA argued the repeal will save consumers money and money on electricity bills and Simmons agrees, saying the EPA plan puts reliability and affordability first.
“Oklahoma has abundant, affordable, clean-burning natural gas resources to provide reliable, around-the-clock electricity. Greater use of natural gas means more investment in our state, greater demand for Oklahoma-produced energy, and a stronger, more dependable electric grid. I applaud Administrator Zeldin and his entire team for this move.”
The EPA said the repeal of the Biden standards will mean savings of $310 billion over the next 20 years. Biden officials claimed two years ago the regulation would bring $370 billion in climate and public health benefits.
“For over 15 years, the Obama and Biden administrations implemented a war on coal to destroy reliable and affordable energy. The Trump Administration has come in to protect American energy and to make sure you can afford to keep the lights on,” EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said in the statement, issued during the meeting of Group of 20 energy ministers in Houston.
“Americans will see a decrease in electricity prices,” he said.
The Biden EPA rules were challenged in 2024 in a lawsuit filed by Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drumond and attorneys general of 22 other states. The suit was filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and asked the court to declare unlawful the EPA’s rule on existing coal, natural gas and oil-fired power plants.
“This is another instance of federal overreach by the Biden Administration and yet another attack on Oklahoma’s oil and gas industry,” Drummond said. “This rule will significantly injure businesses and harm families by cutting jobs and dramatically raising energy costs. I will never stop fighting against the Biden Administration’s dangerous federal overreach, and I will always defend American oil and gas production.”
The suit was led by West Virginia and Indiana. Also joining the litigation are Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming.
Read a copy of the petition here.
