SCOTUS rules against EPA regulations

The Supreme Court handed President Barack Obama two victories last week: the Affordable Care Act will keep its subsidies and same-sex marriage became legal in all 50 states. But in a 5-4 decision on Monday, the Supreme Court decided against the Environmental Protection Agency’s air pollution regulations.

The regulations would have limited emissions from coal-fired plants, but the court’s decision centered on the issue of environmental benefits versus industry cost. 

Justice Antonin Scalia, on behalf of the court, wrote, “The agency must consider cost — including, most importantly, cost of compliance — before deciding whether regulation is appropriate and necessary.” Scalia added, “It is not rational, never mind ‘appropriate,’ to impose billions of dollars in economic costs in return for a few dollars in health or environmental benefits.”

The EPA’s rules will stay in effect until a District of Columbia appeals court decides whether the rules will be amended or thrown out entirely.