Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito expressed approval of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposal to repeal the Biden administration's Clean Power Plan 2.0. This regulation affects coal- and natural gas-fired power plants and has been criticized for its potential impact on energy production and jobs in West Virginia.
"Finally, under President Trump’s leadership, we are taking a necessary step towards ending the Clean Power Plan 2.0 once and for all, eliminating the threat this rule poses to our way of life in communities throughout America," stated Chairman Capito. She further emphasized her longstanding opposition to the rule due to its potential economic impacts on West Virginia and concerns about energy reliability nationwide.
Senator Capito has actively opposed the Clean Power Plan 2.0 since March 2025 when she supported initial steps by the Trump EPA to deregulate Biden-era rules affecting American energy production. In June 2024, she led a group of senators in challenging these regulations through a Congressional Review Act joint resolution of disapproval.
Her efforts also included collaboration with U.S. Senator John Barrasso in December 2023, where they communicated their concerns to EPA Administrator Michael Regan regarding the proposed plan. They urged both FERC and EPA to address threats posed by these regulations during a technical conference held in November 2023.
Senator Capito's actions against the Clean Power Plan 2.0 date back further, including filing comments with other Republican senators urging withdrawal of plans that would close coal and gas-fired power plants, extending public comment periods, introducing legislation like the Protect Our Power Plants Act alongside U.S. Rep Carol Miller, and leading efforts through CRA resolutions against such regulations.
In historical context, Senator Capito successfully challenged President Obama's original Clean Power Plan in 2015 alongside U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell using CRA resolutions which were later overturned by the Supreme Court despite presidential vetoes.
