Supreme Court Reaffirms EPA Role Addressing Global Warming Pollution
The U. S. Supreme Court in American Electric Power v. Connecticut reaffirmend the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) congressionally mandated role to handle global warming pollution from power plants and other major pollution sources.
The Court’s opinion holds that a 2007 Supreme Court decision “made plain that emissions of carbon dioxide qualify as air pollution subject to regulation under” the Clean Air Act, and that the Act ” ‘speaks directly’ to emissions of carbon dioxide from the defendants’ plants.” Power plant smokestacks are the single largest source of carbon pollution in our nation, responsible for nearly 40 percent of all U.S. emissions.
“The most important thing about this decision is that it buttresses the foundation for EPA to do its job,” said Environmental Defense Fund President Fred Krupp. “The Supreme Court strongly underscored EPA’s responsibility under the law to address climate pollution that threatens the health and well-being of our nation.”
