(Washington) The United States Supreme Court, with a conservative majority, dealt a setback Thursday to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), by suspending the implementation of a plan to combat pollution air.
The judges of the highest judicial body in the United States decided by 5 votes to 4 to suspend the application of a so-called “good neighbor” plan, which intends to fight against air pollution that crosses from one state to the otherwise, while a dispute before lower courts is resolved.
“Enforcement of the EPA rule against the petitioners should be stayed pending determination of the petitioners’ petitions for review” by an appeals court in Washington, the court said in its ruling.
The decision was made by a majority of 5 conservative judges against the 3 progressives, joined by conservative judge Amy Coney Barrett.
For the EPA, this plan must make it possible to reduce smog which is harmful to health, but can also have “economic benefits”.
But the regulations were challenged in court by three states governed by Republicans, Ohio, West Virginia and Indiana, supported by the metal and coal industry.
Under a US air pollution law, states are responsible for regulating low-altitude ozone pollution, but the agency can reject or amend their control plans and establish common standards. .
“Today’s decision is not only harmful to the communities that breathe polluted air, but to democracy itself,” said Holly Bender of the Sierra Club, an environmental advocacy group. , denouncing the fact that the Court “has sided with polluters and industrialists.”
The Biden administration has sought to reinstate a series of air pollution standards in recent years that were rolled back by former Republican President Donald Trump.
