The Patriot Post® · SCOTUS to Consider Economic Damage of EPA Regulations

The Supreme Court said Nov. 25 it would consider the EPA’s new rules on coal plants. The EPA has been busy of late, passing regulations on mercury in coal plants, and it will release new rules on ozone. The new rules will cost billions of dollars to the economy, but the EPA says they don’t need to consider the economic impact of their regulations. As EPA Chief Gina McCarthy thinks, economic arguments against environmental regulations are “tired, false and worn out criticism that commonsense EPA action is bad for the economy.” But the suit brought to SCOTUS by several states and the utility industry may force the EPA to consider the economic impact of their regulation in the future. Managing Director of ClearView Energy Partners Christine Tezak told The Wall Street Journal, “Does it make EPA go away? No, but it could make some of their plans a little less ambitious. The agency’s ability to be aggressive could be constrained by a need to give greater weight to cost impacts.” However, the time for rejoicing has not yet come because historically the Supreme Court has sided with the EPA’s power more often than not. More…