When speaking with comedian Bill Maher on his HBO show, the US Environmental Protection Agency administrator was more than a little vague when answering questions about the administration’s regulations to cut carbon emissions.

McCarthy cautiously answered questions in relation to the EPA’s Clean Power Program.

When asked if it was, in fact, a war on coal, she replied that the EPA was “all about fighting against pollution and fighting for public health.”

Then she added with emphasis: “That’s exactly what this is.”

Maher took the latter half of her response as confirmation and the audience immediately cheered and applauded the apparent declaration.

However, an EPA spokesman quickly subdued the excitement by saying McCarthy was referring to the CPP and its aim to cut carbon emissions from existing power plants, and was not referring to any energy sector in particular.