Supreme Court: Clean Air Act gives EPA & States right to Fight Global Warming
Today the Supreme Court decided that the EPA does have the right to regulate carbon dioxide emissions. States are able to sue the EPA, if it fails to regulate.
This vote is a big win for states and the environment and a defeat to Bush Administration.
The vote was 5-4 with 4 conservative justices descending.
From the NYTimes:
“The court had three questions before it.
–Do states have the right to sue the EPA to challenge its decision?
–Does the Clean Air Act give EPA the authority to regulate tailpipe emissions of greenhouse gases?
–Does EPA have the discretion not to regulate those emissions?
The court said yes to the first two questions. On the third, it ordered EPA to re-evaluate its contention it has the discretion not to regulate tailpipe emissions. The court said the agency has so far provided a “laundry list” of reasons that include foreign policy considerations.”
