Court blocks EPA's attempt to weaken Biden's soot pollution rule

A federal appeals court has blocked the EPA from scrapping a Biden-era rule on soot pollution. The decision keeps stricter limits on fine particle pollution in place. The ruling affects air quality standards for coal-fired power plants and other industrial sources. The EPA had attempted to abandon the 2024 rule after pressure from 25 Republican-led states and business groups. An agency spokeswoman previously argued the rule would cost hundreds of millions, if not billions, and lacked a full scientific review. Under Biden, the EPA had claimed the tighter limits would prevent 800,000 asthma cases, 2,000 hospital visits, and 4,500 premature deaths each year.

A three-judge panel rejected the EPA’s move, calling it a setback for the Trump administration’s deregulatory push. The ruling maintains an annual limit of 9 micrograms of fine particle pollution per cubic metre of air. Environmental groups welcomed the decision as a win for public health and a rebuke to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin.

The Natural Resources Defense Council noted that delays in enforcing the rule have left millions of Americans exposed to unsafe soot levels. The rule requires states and counties to meet the air quality target by reducing pollution from various sources. The court’s decision leaves the 2024 standard intact. It ensures stricter controls on soot pollution remain in force. The EPA must now continue enforcing the rule as originally set.