States Urge Supreme Court to Block EPA Rule They Say Could Cause Blackouts

The ‘Good Neighbor’ plan violates the federal Clean Air Act, which allows states to propose their own air pollution control measures, a coalition says.

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson poses for an official portrait in Washington on Oct. 7, 2022. Alex Wong/Getty Images

A coalition of Republican-led states and affected companies are urging the Supreme Court to put on hold the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) “good neighbor” rule that cracks down on states whose industries are said to be contributing to smog.

Led by Ohio, the states say the regulation could lead to blackouts, while the EPA claims the rule is urgently needed to fight air pollution.