The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit rejected an attempt by big polluters to stop the Environmental Protection Agency from protecting the climate and public health from carbon pollution.
Earlier this year, EPA issued a series of guidelines to begin limiting climate-disrupting greenhouse gas pollution from vehicles and large power plants and factories in an orderly and sensible way. While auto manufacturers supported the EPA’s actions, industrial polluters and their allies had asked the court to stop the regulations from taking effect. The Department of Justice, many states (including California, Massachusetts, and New York), and environmental groups,(including the Sierra Club, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Environmental Defense Fund) opposed the polluters’ attempt to block EPA’s progress. The court ruled that the polluters had not demonstrated that they would be harmed by EPA’s rules.
The Sierra Club issued the following statement in response to today’s announcement:
Statement of Michael Brune, Executive Director, Sierra Club
“Today’s ruling is a victory for both the American people and the American economy. EPA’s rules protect the public and the economy by requiring careful measures to control climate-disruption pollution from the biggest smokestack industries and by working with automakers to increase fuel efficiency and to cut vehicle emissions.
“Doing nothing to confront the climate crisis is not an option. According to a large consensus of scientists, our planet is heating up to increasingly dangerous levels. Doing nothing threatens our air, our water, our food, and our health. EPA’s action to regulate and limit this pollution is an important step toward protecting people.
“Although litigation will continue, today’s victory is an important rebuke to big polluters who want to avoid complying with standards put in place to protect people and the American economy.”
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