Court Vacates Trump EPA’s Flawed Climate Rule

On January 19, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit vacated the Affordable Clean Energy Rule based on the finding that the EPA did not act legally in adopting the rule and in repealing the previously promulgated Clean Power Plan. Director of Air Quality, Kevin Cromar, helped prepare an amicus brief for the case, which argued that the restrictions EPA placed on itself to slow the reduction of greenhouse-gas emissions from electricity-generation facilities was an improper application of the Clean Air Act and would result in substantial health and climate impacts. The court agreed and found that the EPA “failed to rely on its own judgment and expertise, and instead based its decision on an erroneous view of the law.” Cromar and his team look forward to working with the new leadership at EPA to support the adoption of appropriate standards of performance for electricity-generation sources that are based on the best system of emission reductions for greenhouse gases.

Read the Amicus Brief