Democrats and environmental groups condemned the Supreme Court decision on Thursday to curb federal regulatory powers related to climate issues.
The High Court ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency EPA had limited powers in regulating emissions, adding that the agency exceeded its authority when it issued a plan to restrict power plants in 2015 during the Obama administration. Proponents of strict regulations said the ruling would severely hinder the efforts of the federal government to prevent cataclysmic climate change.
The Senate Democratic nominee Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said a filibuster carveout is not enough. For the sake of the planet, we need to reform or do away with the whole thing. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., said the decision flies in the face of the law and basic morality. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N. Y., said the decades-long fight to protect citizens from corporate polluters is being wiped out by these MAGA extremist justices. Every Republican who helped seat these justices is complicit. The decision was made by the House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., and House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, D-N. J., who expressed their dismay at the decision. Both Democratic leaders have led efforts to push aggressive climate policies.
This decision and all of the decisions this week will be responsible for the harm and deaths of countless Americans, Grijalva said. While there is no doubt that this GOP takeover will hurt everyone, we know that poor communities, communities of color, and Indigenous communities will be hurt the most. The Supreme Court of Arizona had sentenced our planet to death with the decision, according to the Democrat. Pallone said today in a statement that the decision makes a mockery of the separation of powers outlined in our Constitution and subverts decades of settled law. The Clean Air Act is clear that the EPA has the authority and the obligation to protect public health and regulate pollution, such as greenhouse gases. The Supreme Court's blatant dismissal of the will of Congress is an alarming display of hubris, the consequences of which will be felt far beyond this case, he continued.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. The Supreme Court has destroyed the ability of the federal government to fight back, because of the fact that the planet is on fire. She said the ruling was the latest proof that the court was facing a legitimacy crisis. We don't want dirty air, extreme weather, and climate chaos. Fossil fuel companies, Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore. tweeted. The extremist, right-wing Supreme Court majority is doing fossil fuel executives bidding at the cost of judicial precedent, common sense, and our shared future. Environmental groups also chimed in, saying the decision proved the system is rigged. I am enraged and heartbroken. Today, it is hard to believe that our government will ever do anything to fight climate change, according to Sunrise Movement spokesperson John Paul Mejia. Our hearts are with young people all over the country who are crying out for action on the existential crisis of our time. He continued that decisions like today in WV vs. EPA make it clear how much the system is rigged against us. This decision threatens the government's ability to stop the climate crisis and gives more power to corporate executives. The League of Conservation Voters, another green group, said the decision will jeopardize our communities and planet in favor of polluters and their far-right allies.