EVERGREEN: SCOTUS Ruling In WV v. EPA Undermines EPA’s Ability to Fight Climate Change

In response to the decision by the Supreme Court of The United States (SCOTUS) which limits the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) authorities to curb greenhouse gas pollution from power plants under the Clean Air Act, Evergreen Action Executive Director Jamal Raad released the following statement:

“Today’s ruling in West Virginia v. the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is yet another blow to the American people by a corrupt, illegitimate court. This ruling directly limits the EPA’s ability to confront the defining crisis of our era and sets a dangerous precedent that could severely inhibit the federal government’s ability to act in the public interest. With this ruling, the Court’s conservative majority has again sought to limit the ability of the federal government to protect the rights, health and well-being of the American people, on behalf of corporate special interests in the fossil fuel industry.

“However, after this ruling, the EPA retains strong authority to regulate greenhouse gas pollution from power plants. President Biden and EPA Administrator Michael Regan must now move forward to set stringent new standards to reduce this dangerous pollution from both new and existing facilities. This ruling increases the importance of an all-of-government approach to decrease greenhouse gas pollution. President Biden and Congress must take action now to pass a reconciliation bill that makes major investments in clean energy and environmental justice. The Court’s attack on federal climate action also raises the stakes for state leadership: governors must step up and take action to speed America’s transition to 100% clean, affordable energy and create millions of clean energy jobs in their states.”

The Clean Air Act is one of the most popular and effective laws in American history. Its authorities have allowed the EPA to prevent mass pollution that would otherwise pose extreme health risks to millions of Americans. And the Act does so with incredible economic efficiency, delivering $30 in benefits for every $1 in cost. The Act is also an important tool to protect Black, Brown, Indigenous, and frontline communities all over this country that bear the worst impacts of pollution and climate change. 

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