Supreme Court clears way for Biden’s plan to cut power plant emissions

WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court cleared the way Wednesday for a Biden administration plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions from power plants burning fossil fuels, denying an emergency appeal by more than two dozen Republican-led states, utilities and others.

The groups sought the emergency injunction while they pursue litigation to block the regulations, claiming the Environmental Protection Agency’s power plant plan would force the premature closure of some plants, cost jobs and jeopardize the reliability of the power grid.

The Biden administration said the plan was calibrated to avoid economic harm and problems for the electric grid, and that the rule would protect communities from pollution and help the nation meet long-term goals to combat climate change. The initiative is one of the administration’s most significant actions on global warming.

It is the third time this month the justices have refused to immediately block a Biden administrative initiative seeking to clean up power plants and oil and gas drilling operations, giving a major — if perhaps temporary — boost to the president’s efforts to combat climate change and limit air pollution. Litigation over all three initiatives are still playing out in lower courts.

As is customary, the majority of the justices did not give a reason as to why they denied the emergency request on carbon emissions from power plants. But a statement attached to the denial order indicates that some justices may be inclined to eventually block or strike down the power plant regulations.

The power plant plan that was the focus of the most recent Supreme Court action was finalized in April. It would require all coal-fired power plants that operate past 2039 and new natural gas-fired power plants to reduce carbon emissions by 90 percent.

The EPA estimates the plan by 2047 would reduce carbon emissions by about 1.4 billion metric tons, which is roughly equivalent to the annual emissions of 328 million cars. In a single year, the agency said, the plan could avert 1,200 premature deaths and hundreds of trips to emergency rooms. (Source: The Washington Post)