On Friday, the Supreme Court rejected efforts to block key environmental regulations set by the Biden administration. These regulations focus on reducing methane emissions from oil and gas production, as well as toxic pollution from coal plants. Red states and industry representatives had asked the court to temporarily halt the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules, but the justices denied the requests without explanation and noted no dissenting opinions.
The court’s decision means that two important environmental rules remain in effect while legal challenges continue in lower courts. One rule mandates that oil and gas companies limit methane leaks, a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide and a major contributor to climate change. The EPA’s regulation seeks to address methane’s significant role in global warming by requiring stricter controls on its release.
Supreme Court Upholds Biden Administration’s Methane and Coal Plant Regulations Amid Ongoing Legal BattlesAnother rule targets coal plants, requiring them to reduce emissions of harmful pollutants, including lead and arsenic. Additionally, coal plants with historically looser regulations on mercury emissions are now required to cut back on the release of this neurotoxin. Although the Supreme Court has allowed these regulations to stay in place for now, the ongoing court cases could potentially lead to their reversal.
The ruling fits into a broader pattern of recent Supreme Court decisions that have limited the federal government’s ability to enforce environmental protections. Over the last few years, the court has placed restrictions on how the government can regulate emissions that contribute to climate change and has narrowed its authority over water protections. The court has yet to decide on a separate request to block a rule governing carbon emissions from power plants.