Last week the Supreme Court announced a ruling on the West Virginia vs. EPA case that involved regulations of greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. The Court ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency had overstepped its authorities granted by Congress in the Clean Air Act in its attempt to limit emissions from power plants. Although this case was strictly limited to power plant emissions, it sets an important precedent for future regulatory actions at the federal level.
Energy Workforce CEO Leslie Beyer explained the significance of the ruling in respect to the energy services and technology sector.
“We applaud the ruling today by the Supreme Court that reigns in regulatory authorities of government agencies that are not expressly outlined through Congressional statute. While we support reasonable regulation that allows for reliable and affordable energy production, use of the regulatory process to specifically target one industry is overreach.”
Leslie Beyer, CEO, Energy Workforce & Technology Council
As the midterm elections swiftly approach, the chances of major climate legislation passing through Congress becomes increasingly unlikely. This will force the Biden Administration to utilize regulatory actions at the federal agencies to push climate and environmental policies. This ruling puts major proposed regulations such as the SEC climate disclosure rule and methane emission limits in question without a Congressional mandate.
Energy Workforce will continue to track the impacts of this ruling and how this action will impact future regulations that may directly affect Member Companies.
If you are interested in Energy Workforce’s advocacy efforts or would like to join the Government Affairs Committee, contact SVP Government Affairs & Counsel Tim Tarpley.
Deidre Kohlrus, Director Government Affairs, writes about industry-specific policies for the Energy Workforce & Technology Council. Click here to subscribe to the Energy Workforce newsletter, which highlights sector-specific issues, best practices, activities and more.
