The Supreme Court has decided to allow the Biden administration's climate standards on power plant emissions to remain in effect, rejecting a request to temporarily block the rule while it undergoes review in a lower court. This decision comes after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized a rule in April that mandates coal-fired plants to reduce 90% of their carbon emissions by 2032 under the Clean Air Act.
Several Republican-led states, including West Virginia, sought to halt the EPA emissions standard by filing an application for a stay as they challenge the rule in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. However, the Supreme Court denied this request, with Justice Clarence Thomas being the sole dissenting voice.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh, in explaining the decision to maintain the standards for now, noted that while the challengers may have a strong case against the EPA rule, they are not likely to suffer irreparable harm before the lower court makes a final ruling. The compliance deadline for the power plants affected by the rule is set for June 2025.
West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, leading the legal challenge against the EPA rule, expressed determination to continue fighting the case through the merits phase. Morrisey argued that the rule undermines state discretion and imposes unworkable technologies on power plants, potentially leading to plant closures.
On the other hand, the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) welcomed the Supreme Court's decision, emphasizing the importance of EPA's protections in addressing pollution, reducing costs for consumers, and creating job opportunities. EDF's general counsel, Vickie Patton, praised the ruling as a rejection of attempts to bypass established legal processes.
The outcome of this legal battle is expected to have significant implications for the future of power plant emissions regulation in the United States, with both environmental advocates and industry stakeholders closely monitoring the developments.
