Trump EPA Reverses Landmark Climate Ruling, Impacts Illinois

State officials vow to close coal plants despite federal policy shifts.

Apr. 12, 2026 at 4:39pm

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A serene, photorealistic painting of a lone coal power plant smokestack rising into a hazy sky, with the structure bathed in warm, dramatic lighting that casts long shadows across the landscape, conceptually illustrating the tensions between state and federal climate policies.As federal climate policies shift, Illinois' transition away from fossil fuels faces new legal and political challenges.Peoria Today

As Illinois continues its push to shutter coal-fired power plants, the Trump administration's reversal of a landmark EPA climate change ruling is creating legal and political uncertainty in the state. Environmental groups and some state leaders are taking action to challenge the federal policy changes and maintain the state's commitment to transitioning away from fossil fuels.

Why it matters

Illinois has been at the forefront of the national shift away from coal power, with ambitious clean energy goals. The Trump EPA's move to roll back climate regulations threatens to undermine these state-level efforts and prolong the reliance on polluting coal plants, despite growing public pressure to address climate change.

The details

The Trump administration's EPA has moved to reverse an Obama-era ruling that limited greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. This decision has sparked legal challenges from Illinois and other states, as well as environmental organizations, who argue the rollback will hamper efforts to transition to renewable energy sources and meet climate targets.

  • In 2015, the EPA issued the Clean Power Plan rule to curb carbon emissions from power plants.
  • In 2019, the Trump administration repealed the Clean Power Plan.
  • In 2026, the EPA under Trump reversed the landmark climate change ruling.

The players

Illinois

A state that has set ambitious goals to transition away from coal power and expand renewable energy sources.

Trump administration

The federal government under former President Donald Trump, which has sought to roll back environmental regulations and support the fossil fuel industry.

Environmental groups

Organizations that have filed legal challenges against the EPA's reversal of the landmark climate change ruling.

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What they’re saying

“We will not let the federal government undermine our state's efforts to protect our environment and public health.”

— Pritzker, Governor of Illinois

“This is a dangerous step backwards that threatens the progress we've made on climate change. We'll fight this in court.”

— Sarah Wochos, Director of Policy, Sierra Club Illinois Chapter

What’s next

Illinois and environmental groups are expected to file lawsuits challenging the EPA's reversal of the landmark climate change ruling in the coming weeks.

The takeaway

The Trump administration's move to roll back federal climate regulations creates new uncertainty for Illinois' transition away from coal power, setting up a legal and political battle over the state's clean energy future.