« Johnson wins at Martinsville Speedway |
Main
| After dry spell, RIDOT projects set to hit the road »
April 3, 2007
The U.S. Supreme Court handed down two decisions yesterday that could create an unprecedented opportunity for setting new standards for reducing greenhouse gases from automobiles and lead to emissions reductions by a major utility, reports The Providence Journal's Peter Lord.In Massachusetts et al v. Environmental Protection Agency et al, the court ruled 5 to 4 against the Bush administration’s contention that it didn’t have the authority to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from motor vehicles. The EPA had resisted calls by Massachusetts and other states to impose limits, saying it didn’t have the authority to do so. Yesterday, the court rejected every argument made by the EPA to do nothing, Lord writes.
Environmental Defense et al v. Duke Energy Corp. et al, which Lord says appears to have more limited impact, the court ruled unanimously to vacate a lower court ruling that allowed the power company to upgrade 29 of its generating plants without having to conform to stricter air emissions rules. The case was sent back to the lower court for further review.
Posted by 
at 9:49 AM to Environment
| Permalink
Please be civil. Vicious comments, personal attacks and profanity won't be published.
