To nullify the final rule issued by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to "New Source Performance Standards for Greenhouse Gas Emissions From New, Modified, and Reconstructed Fossil Fuel-Fired Electric Generating Units; Emission Guidelines for Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Existing Fossil Fuel-Fired Electric Generating Units; and Repeal of the Affordable Clean Energy Rule".
Summary
HB 1651 would nullify a final Environmental Protection Agency rule issued in May 2024 that sets greenhouse gas emission standards for new, modified, and reconstructed fossil fuel-fired electric generating units and emission guidelines for existing units, while also repealing the Affordable Clean Energy Rule. In practical terms, the bill would make that EPA rule have no force or effect, preventing it from being implemented as a federal regulatory requirement.
The measure is a direct congressional disapproval of EPA climate and power-plant emissions regulation. It targets federal standards affecting coal- and natural gas-fired electricity generation, including compliance obligations for utilities and power producers that would otherwise need to meet the rule’s emissions limits or adopt approved state implementation plans for existing sources.
Impact
If enacted, the bill would override the EPA’s May 9, 2024 rule and block its application nationwide, affecting federal environmental regulation under the Clean Air Act and the regulatory obligations of electric generating units. It would likely preserve a less stringent regulatory framework for fossil fuel power plants and reduce or eliminate compliance costs associated with greenhouse gas controls, while also limiting EPA’s authority to enforce the challenged standards.
Sentiment
Based on the bill’s sponsorship and subject matter, the sentiment appears strongly supportive among sponsors who favor limiting EPA greenhouse gas regulation and protecting fossil fuel power generation. No committee transcript or vote record was provided, so there is no recorded floor or committee debate to indicate broader bipartisan support or opposition. The bill’s referral to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce suggests it is still in the early legislative stage.
Contention
The main point of contention is the balance between federal climate regulation and energy-sector flexibility. Supporters are likely to argue that the EPA rule imposes burdens on utilities, threatens grid reliability, and exceeds appropriate regulatory authority, while opponents would likely contend that the rule is necessary to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address climate change. The affected parties are primarily fossil fuel-fired power plant operators, electric utilities, states responsible for implementation, and environmental stakeholders.
Enacts the "power plant zero carbon emissions act of 2023"; requires that existing fossil fuel-fired electric generating facilities must demonstrate that they will achieve zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.
Exported Carbon Emissions Report Act of 2025This bill directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to annually collect, calculate, and publish information on certain emissions of carbon dioxide and methane from fossil fuels. Specifically, the EPA must publish information, for each of the previous 10 years, on the total emissions of carbon dioxide and methane that are released (1) within the boundaries of the United States that are the result of the extraction, processing, transportation, combustion, and other use of fossil fuels; and (2) outside the boundaries of the United States that are the result of leakage and combustion of fossil fuels produced or refined in the United States and subsequently exported.