Biden’s EPA emissions rule faces tough questions in court
The U.S. Court of Appeals in D.C. scrutinized the Biden administration’s carbon emissions rule for power plants, signaling potential challenges ahead.
Niina H. Farah and Lesley Clark report for E&E News.
In short:
- A three-judge panel questioned the feasibility of carbon capture technology in the EPA rule targeting coal and gas power plants.
- Judges debated whether certain provisions of the rule violate Supreme Court limits on EPA authority set in the 2022 West Virginia v. EPA case.
- With Trump’s impending presidency, the rule faces possible repeal regardless of the court’s decision.
Key quote:
“These timelines for dealing with CO2 pipelines seem very optimistic.There are a number of states that say they don’t want to have these CO2 pipelines. There is going to be litigation in state courts and federal courts.”
— Judge Neomi Rao
Why this matters:
Reducing emissions from power plants is vital for curbing climate change. If the rule is overturned or repealed, it could delay efforts to address greenhouse gases, impacting both public health and environmental goals.
Learn more: Washington enacts an ambitious carbon emissions strategy
