The Supreme Court on Tuesday dealt a major blow to President Obama's climate change policy by temporarily blocking federal rules designed to carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants.
In a 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court granted a request from 29 mostly-Republican states and dozens of industry groups asking for the Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Power Plan regulations to be delayed while they challenge its legality in a lower appeals court, reported Reuters.
The Supreme Court divided along typical ideological lines, with the court's four liberal justices dissenting and saying they would have denied the request, and the five conservatives voting for the temporary block. No explanations were provided in the one-page order, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The EPA's regulations attempt to force existing power pants to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 32 percent by 2030, based on emission levels in 2005. It also includes an incentive program to encourage the utility industry to pursue cleaner forms of energy, such as wind and solar, over the next few decades.
Power plants would not have to reduce emissions until the first deadline in 2022, and would then have until 2030 to be in full compliance, according to The New York Times. States were supposed to submit plans detailing how they would meet emission goals to the EPA by September, or seek a two-year extension.
Since October, over 30 lawsuits have been filed challenging the EPA's authority on the matter. The states challenging the regulation, many with economies that rely on coal-fired power or coal mining, sued to stop what they called an "unprecedented power grab" and "the most far-reaching and burdensome rule the EPA has ever forced onto the states."
A District of Columbia appeals court in January refused to grant a stay, but expedited the case and will hear oral arguments on June 2 to decide whether the regulations are lawful.
