Reactions to the U.S. Supreme Court June 30, 2022 ruling that limits the federal government’s authority to issue regulations to reduce carbon emissions from existing power plants.

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

“No challenge poses a greater threat to our future than a changing climate. Every day, we’re feeling the impact of climate change, and today’s Supreme Court decision is a major step backward.”

WHITE HOUSE SPOKESPERSON ABDULLAH HASAN

“This is another devastating decision from the Court that aims to take our country backwards. While the Court’s decision risks damaging our ability to keep our air clean and combat climate change, President Biden will not relent in using the authorities that he has under law to protect public health and tackle the climate change crisis.”

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

“We are reviewing the Supreme Court’s decision. EPA is committed to using the full scope of its existing authorities to protect public health and significantly reduce environmental pollution, which is in alignment with the growing clean energy economy.”

CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM

“SCOTUS sided with the fossil fuel industry, kneecapping EPA’s basic ability to tackle climate change. CA will lead this fight with our $53.9 BILLION climate commitment. We’ll reduce pollution, protect people from extreme weather & leave the world better off than we found it.”

YAMIDE DAGNET, DIRECTOR FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE, OPEN SOCIETY FOUNDATIONS

“This is an incredible bad week for the global climate movement. From a weak G7 stance to an incredibly undemocratic SCOTUS ruling; it seems to me that backsliding is now the dominant trend in the climate space. To renew confidence in its leadership, the U.S. will need to swiftly pivot and keep its targets on track, while seeking to raise ambition.”

PROF. KATHERINE HAYHOE

“Today’s SCOTUS ruling on EPA vs W Va makes it even harder to address the climate crisis at a time when we need to be doing all we can.”

MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, U.N. SPECIAL ENVOY FOR CLIMATE AMBITION

“This decision marks the second time in a week that the Supreme Court has turned back the clock to darker days that have dangerous implications for public health. The decision to side with polluters over the public will cost American lives and cause an enormous amount of preventable suffering, with the biggest burden falling on low-income communities and communities of color.”

LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS

“This is an outrageous decision that will jeopardize our communities and planet in favor of polluters and their far-right allies.”

SENATE MAJORITY LEADER CHUCK SCHUMER

“Just like last week’s dangerously misguided and abhorrent decisions on gun safety and abortion, the extremist MAGA Court’s ruling today in West Virginia v. EPA will cause more needless deaths – in this instance because of more pollution that will exacerbate the climate crisis and make our air and water less clean and safe.”

SENATE MINORITY LEADER MITCH MCCONNELL

“This ruling will have a significant impact on the Commonwealth. Even as energy prices spiral out of control and experts warn of electricity blackouts, the Biden Administration has continued the Left’s war on affordable domestic energy and proposed to saddle the electric power sector with expensive regulatory requirements.

Sources:

U.S. Supreme Court limits federal power to curb carbon emissions

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/reactions-us-supreme-court-ruling-carbon-emissions-2022-06-30/

https://people.com/politics/barack-obama-calls-supreme-court-epa-ruling-major-step-backward/