EPA chief says Trump plans executive order undoing Obama Clean Power Plan

EPA administrator Scott Pruitt says President Trump will sign an executive order Tuesday to roll back the Obama Clean Power Plant initiative, which aimed to curb greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power plants. 

“The executive order will address the past administration’s efforts to kill jobs across this country” through the Clean Power Plan,” Pruitt told ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos, on “This Week.”

Pruitt said he believes the order “absolutely” will bring back lost coal and manufacturing jobs “across the country.” He also promised the executive order would result in lower electricity rates for Americans. But the demand for coal has been waning, given the abundance of natural gas in recent years. 

The 2015 Clean Power Plan rule has been on hold since last year, while a federal appeals court considers a challenge by coal-friendly Republican-led states and more than 100 companies.  

Supporters of former President Barack Obama’s plan say it would spur thousands of clean-energy jobs.