WHAT YOU DIDN’T HEAR: The Only People Who Will Benefit From Trump’s Carbon Pollution Rollbacks Are His Fossil Fuel Donors

Weakening limits on coal and gas plants will allow corporations to pump toxins into our air that can cause life-threatening conditions

The rollbacks will exacerbate the epidemic of air pollution that Trump is already creating with his push to expand gas and coal-powered data centers

Washington, DC – While desperately trying to rally support for Michael Whatley last night amidst abysmal approval ratings for Republicans, Trump made sure to joke about withholding FEMA funding for political purposes and even used his speech as an opportunity to once again tell Americans to calm down about record-high prices at the pump. But what he failed to mention was his administration’s decision this week to allow power plants to pump unlimited carbon pollution into our air. Trump’s efforts to gut pollution protections — rubberstamped by Republicans in Congress — will only lead to more hospital visits and higher medical bills. In fact, his devotion to coal power could actually raise utility bills at a time when Americans are reeling from an energy affordability crisis that he created. 

These rollbacks will hurt Americans even more as he pushes full steam ahead with gas and coal-powered data centers, despite overwhelming opposition from the American people and dire warnings from industry leaders. While Trump lets “data reign”, everyone else is paying the price. 

FACT: The carbon pollution standards that Trump’s EPA repealed were projected to save up to $370 billion in climate and public health costs over two decades. 

FACT: For 2035 alone, the EPA projected that the standards Trump repealed were expected to prevent 1,200 avoided deaths and 360,000 asthma attacks. 

FACT: Trump’s EPA repealed the endangerment finding, which obligated the federal government to protect communities from harmful air pollution that drives climate change and fuels extreme heat and dangerous storms, as well as illnesses such as asthma.

FACT: The wide-ranging pollution protections targeted by Trump’s EPA were estimated to prevent 30,000 deaths per year and save $275 billion annually. Five of the EPA-targeted protections alone were estimated to deliver $200 billion per year in net benefits.

FACT: The 2026 American Lung Association report found that more than 1.6 million North Carolinians were particularly vulnerable to air pollution due to age and at-risk health conditions. 

FACT: In 2023, North Carolina had the 15th highest cancer rate in the country. The Tar Heel state also has a “significantly higher” lung cancer rate than the national rate. 

FACT: Trump’s EPA weakened the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards that were expected to reduce toxic metal emissions by 67% and generate $430 million in health and climate benefits.

FACT: In 2025, five North Carolina coal power plants, Belews Creek, Cliffside, Marshall, Mayo, and Roxboro, reported toxic mercury emissions. From 2024 to 2025, North Carolina’s mercury pollution increased by more than 5%.

FACT: Trump’s EPA has stopped publishing data on neighborhood-level cancer-risk estimates from hazardous air pollution. 

FACT: Energy analysts have warned that Trump’s previous efforts to prevent five aging coal plants from shutting down could cost utility customers as much as $6 billion by the end of 2028.

FACT: While President Trump suggests we need heavily polluting coal plants to address an energy shortage, he has blocked enough clean energy projects in the last year and a half to power 22 million homes, including many projects in North Carolina.