Supreme Court delays enforcement of Clean Power Plan

For the plan’s opponents, the Supreme Court’s intervention is a major victory.

The unusual move comes in response to a challenge filed by 29 states and state agencies opposed to the emissions regulations that were established in October.

EPA data suggests that measures to cut carbon pollution under the Clean Power Plan will provide almost $54 billion in climate and health benefits. Moreover, in a recent case involving an EPA rule concerning mercury and other toxic emissions from coal-fired power plants, the Court failed to issue a stay before the rule took place.

“The inclusion of those tax credits is going to have more impact over the short term than the Clean Power Plan”, he said.

“The whole point of the stay was to stop us from having to provide any implementation plan”, Paxton says, “and so we’re not moving forward with anything until this case is resolved”.

But as the owner of a clean energy business in Cincinnati, Steve Melink says the goals of the Clean Power Plan are achievable and necessary to reduce the risk of severe climate change.

The Clean Power Plan was a strategy developed by the administration in order to reduce carbon emissions in order to combat climate change.

“We are supportive of putting everything on hold until the assessment process of the legal system takes a look at that, because it was a very aggressive timeline to comply”, Soderberg says. The Supreme Court has halted any further implementation of the plan until the court battle is over.

“We are pleased that Georgia will not need to begin plan development at this time given the uncertainties surrounding its ultimate legal status”, said Mary Walker, an assistant EPD director. The states argue the EPA exceeded its authority by forcing states to fundamentally shift energy portfolios.

The Obama administration did not consult these states and try to find some common ground, a reasonable point between concern for the environment and paychecks.

The ruling signals the justices were won over by strong arguments against the rules.