New Jersey Audubon, Sierra Club, Environment NJ, and New Jersey League of Conservation Voters Calls on Congress to Pass Climate, Justice, and Jobs Investments after U.S. Supreme Court Guts Clean Air Act in West Virginia v. EPA

Decision by far-right Supreme Court majority would gut the EPA’s authority under the Clean Air Act to limit carbon pollution from power plants and hamstring U.S. efforts to fight climate change

Trenton, NJ– Today, after a far-right majority on the U.S. Supreme Court released a decision in West Virginia v. EPA that would take away EPA’s ability to set the strong standards we need to cut carbon pollution and tackle the climate crisis, Sierra Club, New Jersey Audubon, Environment New Jersey and New Jersey League of Conservation Voters issued the following statements: 

“We are disappointed in the Supreme Court’s decision, which will have devastating impacts on wildlife populations. Recent studies by National Audubon and other groups warn that two-thirds of bird species in North America are at risk of extinction. Removing the ability of the regulatory program to regulate air emissions will surely increase this risk,” said Eileen Murphy, Vice President, NJ Audubon.  

“With its decision in West Virginia v. EPA, the U.S. Supreme Court’s majority just undid decades of established EPA authority and precedent under the Clean Air Act to limit pollution and protect public health. This decision will limit EPA’s ability to set the strong standards we need to cut carbon pollution and tackle the climate crisis,” said Doug O’Malley, Director, Environment New Jersey. 

“The truth is that the stakes couldn’t be higher. Science makes clear that climate can’t wait. Now, we need Congress to finally pass climate, justice, jobs, and clean energy investments because for every second we delay, the costs of inaction for all Americans only grows,” said Ed Potosnak, Executive Director, New Jersey League of Conservation Voters.

“This is a deeply disappointing and dangerous decision that eliminates EPA’s most effective tool for reducing harmful climate pollution from existing power plants. This decision gives coal executives and far-right politicians exactly what they asked for by frustrating EPA’s efforts to set strong, effective carbon pollution standards from power plants that would help protect our communities and families. For years, EPA has had the clear authority and duty under the Clean Air Act to effectively reduce climate-disrupting carbon dioxide pollution from fossil fuel-burning power plants, in line with the action the public and science demands. But today’s decision accommodates the powerful instead of the people by seriously narrowing that authority. As scientists warn that we are running out of time to combat the climate crisis, no one should be making it harder for our government to use effective tools to protect our families and communities.,” said Andres Restrepo, senior attorney, Sierra Club’s Environmental Law Program.  “Now, EPA must forge ahead and issue new standards that require each of the nation’s remaining coal and gas plants to minimize their pollution to the greatest extent possible. And most importantly, it is up to Congress and the Biden Administration to act quickly to pass bold climate legislation—our future depends on it.”