EPA Seeks to Completely Eliminate Pollution Limits on Power Plants

Today’s ESG Updates

• EPA Seeks to Completely Eliminate Pollution Limits on Power Plants: Internal documents reveal a draft stating that U.S. power plants do not contribute significantly to climate change.
• New Report Reveals Rising Risks to Critical Mineral Supply Chains: Despite steady prices, the IEA warns of worsening supply concentration and investment slowdown.
• States Sue Trump Administration Over Frozen EV Charging Funds: Environmental groups and 16 states allege the freeze obstructs progress on clean transportation and climate equity.
• European Banking Authority Proposes to Scale Back Reporting Requirements: The EBA seeks to ease bank compliance and reduce reporting burden.

Internal agency documents show EPA will soon seek to erase emissions limits on power plants

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has drafted a proposal to eliminate pollution limits on fossil fuel power plants, arguing U.S. emissions are too minor to impact global climate change. The administration seeks to repeal public health regulations by dismantling past EPA research, including a 2009 finding that greenhouse gases endanger public health. That determination underpins most federal climate regulations, and repealing it would erase the agency’s legal authority to regulate pollution from power plants, vehicles, oil and gas infrastructure, and other sources. Companies and investors can closely monitor these developments and  stay ahead of regulatory shifts using ESG tools. 

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Further reading: Documents Show E.P.A. Wants to Erase Greenhouse Gas Limits on Power Plants

New IEA report reveals critical mineral vulnerabilities over the next decade

The IEA’s 2025 Global Critical Minerals Outlook warns that despite stable prices and increased supply, rising concentration of mineral production threatens global energy security. Critical minerals like copper, lithium, and rare earths are increasingly subject to export controls, particularly in China and Indonesia, while investment and exploration momentum has slowed. Investment momentum in critical minerals has weakened, as spending grew by just 5% in 2024, down from an increase of 14% in 2023. Copper faces especially severe supply risks, with a projected 30% deficit by 2035. The report emphasizes the urgent need for diversified, resilient supply chains to support energy transition technologies.

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Further reading: Diversification is the cornerstone of energy security, yet critical minerals are moving in the opposite direction

States and environmental groups sue the Trump Administration over EV funding freeze

Sixteen states, the District of Columbia, and more than half a dozen environmental groups are suing the Trump Administration for freezing $2.7 billion in congressionally approved funds meant to build a national EV charging network. The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program (NEVI) program, created by the 2021 infrastructure law, was designed to build a network of EV charging stations along designated Alternative Fuel Corridors. Defunding U.S. EV infrastructure plans widens infrastructure disparities, worsening pollution in the most underserved communities, and greatly slowing climate progress.

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Further Reading: States, Environmentalists Sue Trump Over Billions in Funding Freezes for EV Charging

European Banking Authority announces a proportionate ESG disclosure framework, reducing reporting burden

The European Banking Authority (EBA) has announced updated disclosure rules covering ESG risks, equity exposures, and shadow banking. The proposal introduces simplified requirements for smaller banks and transitional measures to ease compliance, while aiming to preserve transparency. Large listed banks face no new obligations but benefit from clarified guidance aligned with the EU Taxonomy Regulation. The move supports the European Commission’s broader effort to reduce the burden of sustainability reporting and improve comparability across institutions. Companies can leverage ESG solutions to maintain seamless regulatory compliance and investor confidence.

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Further reading: EBA launches consultation on amended disclosure requirements for ESG risks, equity exposures and aggregate exposure to shadow banking entities

Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed here by the authors are their own, not those of impakter.com — Cover Photo Credit: Patrick Hendry