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Supreme Court issues split greenhouse ruling
By Lawrence Hurley
WASHINGTON
(Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday issued a mixed ruling on a
challenge to part of President Barack Obama’s greenhouse gas
regulations by exempting a small proportion of facilities from a federal
air pollution program while allowing most major pollution sources,
including power plants and refineries, to be included.
The
court was divided in several different ways in what was a relatively
narrow case concerning a challenge by industry groups and
Republican-leaning states to one aspect of a suite of rules issued by
Obama's Democratic administration in 2009 and 2010.
On
a 7-2 vote, the justices rejected the industry-backed argument that
pollution sources cannot be regulated for greenhouse gases under the
"prevention of serious deterioration" or PSD program. The program
requires any new or modified major polluting facility to obtain a permit
before any new construction is done if it emits "any air pollutant."
But
industry could claim a partial win because the court said on a separate
5-4 vote that some facilities the government had wanted to regulate
will be exempted.
According
to the American Chemistry Council, one of the challengers, 83 percent of
greenhouse gas emissions that could potentially be regulated under the
Environmental Protection Agency's interpretation of the law would still
be covered as a result of the ruling, compared with the 86 percent of
emissions that the EPA says it wants to regulate.
Under
the program, the operators have to show they are using the best
technology available to reduce emissions of the covered pollutants. More
than 300 facilities have already applied for permits.
The
Supreme Court decision does not affect the Obama administration’s
ability to set air pollution standards for greenhouse gases under a
separate provision of the Clean Air Act. On June 2, the White House
announced proposed rules calling for 30 percent reduction in greenhouse
gas emissions from existing power plants, including coal-fired
facilities.
(Reporting by Lawrence Hurley; Editing by Howard Goller and Grant McCool)
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