United States President Donald Trump's war on the environmental policies of his predecessor Barack Obama is about to open a new chapter. The Washington administration has decided to repeal the most important measure adopted by the Democratic government on environmental matters. The announcement was made on Monday 9 October by Environmental Protection Agency director Scott Pruitt.
The official, who for years worked for major oil companies without ever concealing his preference for fossil fuels, explained in a speech delivered in the state of Kentucky that today he would sign "a bill with the aim of repealing the so-called Clean Power Plan".

The Clean Power Plan already suspended by the courts and subject to a "review"

The latter represents the legal cornerstone of the United States' energy transition. It in fact requires thermal power plants to reduce their CO2 emissions by 32 per cent by 2030, compared to 2005 levels. This would mean the closure of many coal-fired plants, unable to meet the new environmental standards. The regulation had, however, already been blocked by the courts, after around thirty Republican-led states had filed an appeal.
Trump had also signed an "energy independence executive order" in March, which ordered a review of the Clean Power Plan. On the same occasion, he had promised to revive the coal industry "to bring jobs back to American miners".