Environment America is the new home of U.S. PIRG’s environmental work.
Washington, DC—The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments today in a landmark global warming case. The case will decide whether the Clean Air Act authorizes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate the pollution that causes global warming.
“For six years, the Bush administration has toed the oil, coal, and auto industry line on global warming, but today is their day of reckoning,” said U.S. PIRG Clean Air & Energy Advocate Emily Figdor. U.S. PIRG is a petitioner in the case.
In direct conflict with previous EPA legal opinions, EPA now claims that the Clean Air Act does not give it the authority to regulate global warming pollution. But the Clean Air Act explicitly authorizes EPA to regulate emissions of any air pollutant that “may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health or welfare,” and it defines “welfare” to include adverse effects on “weather” and “climate.”
“We’re optimistic that today marks a turning point in our nation’s fight to protect future generations from global warming. Finally, we’ll be able to put to work the many solutions that are available to reduce global warming pollution,” said Figdor.
While the case is likely to have broad implications for regulating global warming from cars, power plants, and other sources, the Supreme Court is considering whether current law compels EPA to regulate global warming emissions from cars and light trucks. The Court’s decision could affect the 11 states with global warming tailpipe emissions standards for cars and light trucks. Under the Clean Air Act, states may adopt California’s tailpipe emissions standards in lieu of minimum federal standards. Ten states have adopted California’s standards to reduce fleet-wide global warming emissions from new vehicles by 25 percent in model year 2009, rising to 30 percent in model year 2016.
U.S. PIRG is a petitioner in the case, along with a coalition of states, cities, and environmental organizations. For a complete list of the petitioners and other documents related to the case, go to www.cleancarscampaign.org and click on “Court Action.”
