Lawrence Hurley

WASHINGTON (Reuters] – The U.S. Supreme Court agreed on Friday to consider a proposal by West Virginia, a coal producer, and industry groups for limiting federal power to regulate carbon emissions in power plants. It was part of a landmark environment law.

This court decision could make it more difficult for President Joe Biden to implement new regulations to the Clean Air Act to reduce global climate change-related emissions.

About 20 states and various industry groups including coal interests had appealed a lower court’s ruling https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-climate-powerplants/u-s-court-deals-final-blow-to-trump-epas-clean-power-rule-replacement-idUSKBN29O2BO striking down a regulation issued by Republican former President Donald Trump’s administration intended to constrain the regulation of carbon emissions from power plants. This ruling was issued by the U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit in January 2021.

These states and organizations have opposed the Clean Air Act’s regulation of carbon emissions. States and organizations that are supportive of aggressive measures to reduce such emissions challenged the Affordable Clean Energy Rule by Trump’s administration.

Trump’s desegulatory approach contrasted with that of Barack Obama (Democratic predecessor). His Clean Power Plan would have provided broad authority for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in order to regulate carbon dioxide emissions, mostly from coal-fired plants.

These cases will be heard by the court in the current term. A ruling is expected before June.