The US Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether a dozen states, three cities and a number of environmental groups can force the US government to regulate car and truck emissions that contribute to global warming.
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In what Reuters called one of the most important environmental cases in decades, the justices agreed to review an appeals court ruling that the Environmental Protection Agency does not have to regulate the vehicle emissions blamed by most scientists for climate change.
The EPA reportedly said in 2003 that global warming has risks but it could not regulate greenhouse gas emissions because Congress had not granted it authority to do so under the Clean Air Act.
In their appeal, the states, cities and green groups said the issues raised by the case merited Supreme Court review and go to the heart of the EPA’s legal responsibilities “to address the most pressing environmental challenge of our time.”
According to the report, they argued that the head of the EPA does have the authority to regulate carbon dioxide and other air pollutants associated with climate change.
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By GlobalDataThe EPA told Reuters it stands behind its decision not to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from cars. Greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector, which includes cars, account for about a third of the US total.
“The EPA is confident in its decision and will address the issue before the court,” an agency spokeswoman told the news agency, noting the administration has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions through voluntary programmes.
The appeal involved Baltimore, New York City and Washington, DC, along with California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington state, Reuters said.
The high court will hear arguments and then issue a decision in the case during its upcoming term that begins in October, the report added.
