Zonta International is a global organization of individuals dedicated to building a better world for women and girls. The Zonta USA Advocacy Action Center is a tool for our members in the United States and other individuals who share our commitment to gender equality to take action to improve the lives of women and girls. With your help, we can make a difference..
As a women's rights organization, Zonta International pledges to empower women and girls at the global and local levels and promote justice and universal respect for human rights, which includes the human right to health and safety. Dangerous air pollution exposure links to preterm births which increases healthcare costs and risks numerous health conditions and even death. Exposure of pregnant women to this air pollution increases the risk of preterm birth, resulting in an estimated 2.0 million premature deaths per year attributed to fossil fuel pollution.
On 17 June 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed repealing the 2024 carbon pollution standards, identifying the proposal as the "Repeal of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Fossil Fuel-Fired Electric Generating Units." These standards monitor the power plant emissions, which comprise roughly 25% of the United States total greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Regulating emissions from power plants is an important step in achieving an overall reduction in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. A 2018 study by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air found an estimated 4.5 million people died due to exposure to air pollution from fossil fuels, with each death averaging a loss of 19 years of life. In the United States alone, 350,000 premature deaths can be attributed to fossil fuel pollution on a yearly basis and fossil fuel combustion accounted for more than 40% of all premature deaths attributable to human-caused particles PM2.5 in 2020. PLOS Latitude
The United States EPA proposes to repeal all greenhouse gas emissions standards for fossil fuel-fired power plants. The EPA's justification for the repeal of these emission standards is that under the Clean Air Act, regulation of GHG from power plants is predicted on the EPA defining GHG emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants as significantly contributing to dangerous air pollution. The EPA's proposal includes redefining GHG emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants as not contributing significantly to dangerous air pollution, in direct opposition to independent environmental studies conducted thus far.
If EPA finalizes the primary proposal, then fossil fuel-fired power plants will no longer be subject to GHG standards under the Clean Air Act. In this scenario, to regulate GHG emissions from these power plants in the future, EPA would be required to reverse the proposed finding that GHG emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants do not contribute significantly to dangerous air pollution and provide reasoned justification for doing so. If the proposal finalizes, all facilities would be released of standards for coal-fired electric generating units and would revoke the legal justification for regulating CO2 from power plants and vehicles. Without these regulations there would be a severe lack of monitoring standards for dangerous air pollution and would disproportionately affect women and children.
As a constituent of Zonta International and advocate for women and children, please consider using our pre-drafted letters to urge your local representatives to draw their attention to the proposal from the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
On 17 June 2025, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed repealing the 2024 carbon pollution standards, identifying the proposal as the "Repeal of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Fossil Fuel-Fired Electric Generating Units." These standards monitor the power plant emissions, which comprise roughly 25% of the United States total greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Regulating emissions from power plants is an important step in achieving an overall reduction in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. A 2018 study by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air found an estimated 4.5 million people died due to exposure to air pollution from fossil fuels, with each death averaging a loss of 19 years of life. In the United States alone, 350,000 premature deaths can be attributed to fossil fuel pollution on a yearly basis and fossil fuel combustion accounted for more than 40% of all premature deaths attributable to human-caused particles PM2.5 in 2020. PLOS Latitude
The United States EPA proposes to repeal all greenhouse gas emissions standards for fossil fuel-fired power plants. The EPA's justification for the repeal of these emission standards is that under the Clean Air Act, regulation of GHG from power plants is predicted on the EPA defining GHG emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants as significantly contributing to dangerous air pollution. The EPA's proposal includes redefining GHG emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants as not contributing significantly to dangerous air pollution, in direct opposition to independent environmental studies conducted thus far.
If EPA finalizes the primary proposal, then fossil fuel-fired power plants will no longer be subject to GHG standards under the Clean Air Act. In this scenario, to regulate GHG emissions from these power plants in the future, EPA would be required to reverse the proposed finding that GHG emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants do not contribute significantly to dangerous air pollution and provide reasoned justification for doing so. If the proposal finalizes, all facilities would be released of standards for coal-fired electric generating units and would revoke the legal justification for regulating CO2 from power plants and vehicles. Without these regulations there would be a severe lack of monitoring standards for dangerous air pollution and would disproportionately affect women and children.
As a constituent of Zonta International and advocate for women and children, please consider using our pre-drafted letters to urge your local representatives to draw their attention to the proposal from the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
You may also use the pre-drafted letters to copy and paste as a "comment submission" on the Regulations.gov page. The DEADLINE for comments is 7 AUGUST 2025.
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