EPA Accused of Hiding Crucial Comments on Clean Power Plan 2.0

The Biden administration’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has come under fire for allegedly burying critical comments from the Department of Energy (DOE) that undermine its Clean Power Plan 2.0 (CPP2). The plan mandates that coal-fired power plants install carbon capture technology by 2039 and new natural gas plants by 2032. However, internal DOE comments, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, dispute the EPA’s claim that the technology is “adequately demonstrated.”
Documents reveal that DOE engineers argued carbon capture and storage (CCUS) remains prohibitively expensive and underperforming, despite investments under the Inflation Reduction Act. The EPA based its determination on the Boundary Dam Unit #3 (BD3) project in Canada, which has failed to meet its 90% emissions capture target, achieving only 57% as of 2023. DOE engineers questioned the EPA’s reliance on BD3, calling its performance “an under-performing failure.”
The EPA’s administrative record omitted these comments, raising concerns about the rule’s viability. Legal experts suggest the missing comments could provide a basis for the rule’s repeal. The EPA has yet to address the allegations, though it stated it is reconsidering the rule.
Meanwhile, the EPA’s own modeling predicts minimal adoption of CCUS through 2055, casting doubt on its feasibility. The omission of critical comments highlights concerns about the administration’s approach to climate policy and its adherence to scientific integrity.

Published: 6/10/2025