ESA Decries the Supreme Court’s West Virginia v EPA Decision

The Ecological Society of America, representing 8,000 research ecologists and environmental scientists, is greatly concerned about the recent United States Supreme Court decision in West Virginia v. EPA. At stake was the ability to reduce carbon emissions under the auspices of the Clean Air Act that gives the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) power to regulate “the best system of reducing emissions.” This ruling essentially disallows the EPA to impose actions that would reduce life threatening carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants contributing to climate change.

The Supreme Court decision severely hinders the efforts of the United States to reduce emissions. This majority ruling will result in damaging our ecosystems, reducing biodiversity, and harming people and their livelihoods across the nation and throughout the globe by eliminating the regulations needed to effectively reduce harmful emissions.

We appeal to Congress to swiftly enact legislation that will empower the EPA to take appropriate regulatory actions to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants. In addition, we encourage states to implement clean energy strategies that reduce emissions.