SCOTUS rules against EPA regulations
The Supreme Court handed President Barack Obama two victories last week: the Affordable Care Act will keep its subsidies and same-sex marriage became legal in all 50 states. But in a 5-4 decision on Monday, the Supreme Court decided against the Environmental Protection Agency’s air pollution regulations.
The regulations would have limited emissions from coal-fired plants, but the court’s decision centered on the issue of environmental benefits versus industry cost.
Justice Antonin Scalia, on behalf of the court, wrote, “The agency must consider cost — including, most importantly, cost of compliance — before deciding whether regulation is appropriate and necessary.” Scalia added, “It is not rational, never mind ‘appropriate,’ to impose billions of dollars in economic costs in return for a few dollars in health or environmental benefits.”
The EPA’s rules will stay in effect until a District of Columbia appeals court decides whether the rules will be amended or thrown out entirely.
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