With his climate agenda facing an uncertain future in Congress, President Joe Biden’s vow to slash greenhouse gas emissions depends on environmental regulations that the Supreme Court may gut even before they’re written.
The nation’s top court hears arguments Feb. 28 from coal plants and Republican-led states trying to curb the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from the power sector. The case could jeopardize the ability of the U.S. to meet Biden’s pledge to halve greenhouse gas emissions by the end of the decade.
The White House has drawn support from a mix of industries, including technology companies and electric utilities. The Supreme Court, with a 6-3 conservative majority, decided to take the case before the Biden administration even enacted a power plant emissions regulation, suggesting some justices are eager to curb EPA’s powers.
