Supreme Court to consider blocking cross-state pollution rule

 

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The Big Story 

The high court will hear oral arguments about whether to block a Biden administration rule that seeks to limit interstate smog pollution

© AP Photo/Nick Ut

The rule in question — known as the “Good Neighbor” rule — seeks to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides, which can form smog, from power plants and industrial facilities in upwind states so that pollution does not flow to downwind states.

The Supreme Court issued an order on Wednesday saying that it would hear arguments in February on whether to block the rule.

 

The order comes after Republican attorneys general and affected industries asked the court to stay the rule after a lower court declined to do so.

 

They have argued that it would harm their industries and citizens by requiring money to be spent on compliance and could undermine their power grids.

 

The Environmental Protection Agency has touted anticipated health benefits from the reduced pollution — saying when it proposed the rule that it would prevent 1,300 premature deaths in 2026 alone.

 

Read more in a full report at TheHill.com.

Welcome to The Hill’s Energy & Environment newsletter, I’m Rachel Frazin — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains.

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