WASHINGTON, D.C. –(ENEWSPF)–April 16, 2015. Today, a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit will hear oral arguments in three related cases backed by the coal industry attacking the EPA’s proposed Clean Power Plan. The Sierra Club is a party to this case, joining an array of others ranging from NYU Law Dean Emeritus Richard Revesz to Calpine, one of the nation’s largest utilities, in taking a stand in favor of the Clean Power Plan.
In response, Joanne Spalding, the Chief Climate Counsel for the Sierra Club, released the following statement:
“If you are looking for the latest sign that the coal industry is desperate, look no further than these baseless legal attacks on the Obama Administration’s efforts to cut carbon pollution from power plants for the first time ever. These lawsuits are not only meritless but premature, as they insist the Court invalidate rules that aren’t even final, contrary to binding, long-time precedent and short-circuiting the public’s right to participate in the rulemaking process. It’s no wonder why the coal industry and its defenders don’t want the public to participate — 8 million Americans told the EPA they wanted cleaner power plants, and their voices deserve to be heard as the Clean Power Plan is finalized.
The Clean Power Plan is on sound legal footing, and the Court should reject these nonsensical attacks. Congress passed the Clean Air Act and its subsequent amendments with huge bipartisan majorities in both houses, the Supreme Court affirmed that the law authorizes EPA to curb carbon pollution from power plants, and the President is now implementing rules to carry out the statute’s mandate. It’s a textbook example of how government should operate. But, the coal industry and its defenders have never let the facts or the law stand in the way of their bogus claims.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 2.4 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.
Source: www.sierraclub.org
