President Obama Believes His Climate Change Rule Will Survive

Halting the plan that calls for reduction of carbon dioxide emissions at existing power plants by about one third by 2030. Whichever side loses at the appeals level is nearly certain to petition for review by the high court, nearly certainly freezing any significant action on the plan’s goals until after Obama’s term expires in January 2017. This coalition had warned that the plan would harm the economy, eliminate jobs and damage competitiveness.

The execution and implementation of a definite “climate clean” strategy would have been a major achievement for Obama Administration and he could step down in January 2017 enamoured with himself and his policy on setting out a definite legacy and plan on climate change.

U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell issued a statement saying the court’s decision “is the latest sign” the EPA rules may not be legal.

“Very surprising decision. Everyone on all sides sees this Supreme Court stay as unexpected and unprecedented”, said David Doniger, director of the climate and clean air program at the National Resources Defense Council.

Oral arguments on the case for regulating carbon dioxide through the plan will be heard in June.

Obama’s administration had expected legal challenges but had been surprised that a stay was enacted on plans that will take many years to come into full effect. The cases have been consolidated and are being litigated on an expedited basis before the D.C. Circuit Court.

They argued that power plants will have to spend billions of dollars to begin complying with a rule that may end up being overturned. Florida is among the more than two dozen states and agencies challenging the Clean Power Plan, calling it an “unlawful overreach”.

In his first public reaction after the top court put the brakes on a sweeping plan to reduce emissions from coal-fueled power plants, Obama insisted the battle was not over. “Hopefully, we can retrain the coal miners and their families in other high-tech industries”, he said.

Abby Foster represents the Pennsylvania Coal Alliance, which opposes the Clean Power Plan.

“President Obama’s credibility on the climate issue was crucial to reaching agreement at Paris”, said Michael Oppenheimer, a Princeton University professor of geosciences and worldwide affairs.