Carper: Striking Down Trump’s Rollback of the Clean Power Plan Reaffirms the Power of the Clean Air Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW), released the following statement after the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the Trump Administration’s rollback of the Obama-Biden Clean Power Plan.

“Today’s decision reaffirms what we already know—the Trump Administration’s plan to repeal and replace the Clean Power Plan was based on a clear misinterpretation of the Clean Air Act. The flexibility of the Clean Air Act gives EPA far-reaching authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. The D.C. Circuit has made clear that EPA can’t turn its back on the agency’s mission to reduce climate pollution. 

“This welcome decision also comes at a critical time for our country. On the eve of Joe Biden’s inauguration to be the next President of the United States, Americans continue to suffer from a failure to address the worsening climate crisis. This moment requires us to think big. Striking down this rule will allow the incoming Biden Administration to do just that—put our country’s energy grid on a path to net-zero emissions and unlock the economic promises of a clean energy future.”

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