Supreme Court Deals Blow to Obama’s Efforts to Regulate Coal Emissions

Thursday, February 11th, 2016

Supreme Court Deals Blow to Obama’s Efforts to Regulate Coal Emissions

Author: ADAM LIPTAK and CORAL DAVENPORT
Source: The New York Times
Publication Date: FEB. 9, 2016
Link: Supreme Court Deals Blow to Obama’s Efforts to Regulate Coal Emissions

Stephan: This is bad environmental news about coal brought to you by the same five men who created Citizens United. We have a court in which four of the Justices are blatant Republican ideologues -- the only major party in the entire developed world that does not believe climate change is real. Every environmentalist with whom I have corresponded about this is stunned. There is apparently no precedent for such a ruling. As this article notes, "the Supreme Court had never before granted a request to halt a regulation before review by a federal appeals court."

Credit: www.midwestind.com

WASHINGTON — In a major setback for President Obama’s climate change agenda, the Supreme Court on Tuesday temporarily blocked the administration’s effort to combat global warming by regulating emissions from coal-fired power plants.

The brief order was not the last word on the case, which is most likely to return to the Supreme Court after an appeals court considers an expedited challenge from 29 states and dozens of corporations and industry groups.

But the Supreme Court’s willingness to issue a stay while the case proceeds was an early hint that the program could face a skeptical reception from the justices.

The 5-to-4 vote, with the court’s four liberal members dissenting, was unprecedented — the Supreme Court had never before granted a request […]

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