25 States and Cities File Lawsuit to Block EPA Power Plant Emissions Rollback

New York Attorney General Letitia James spearheaded a coalition of 25 states, cities and the District of Columbia in a petition to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, seeking to overturn the EPA's repeal of the 2024 Carbon Pollution Standards for power plants. Those standards had obligated coal- and gas-fired facilities to reduce their greenhouse-gas output, which accounts for about a quarter of U.S. carbon emissions.

The EPA eliminated the rules last month, claiming the move will save the industry over $300 billion in compliance costs and give utilities freedom to decide based on cost. The coalition contends the agency acted arbitrarily, without weighing alternatives or the health and climate consequences, and warns the rollback could unleash millions of additional tons of emissions, worsening extreme weather. In addition to the petition, the group signaled a forthcoming lawsuit over the EPA's failure to regulate emissions from existing gas-fired peaker plants, which often operate in low-income neighborhoods. The EPA has not responded to requests for comment.